Iraqi Lions Poised to Roar Against Emirates in Crunch Match

Iraq's football chief admits his team faces a crucial test against the UAE in their World Cup 2026 playoff matches, acknowledging past failures while expressing confidence in their readiness for the make-or-break encounters.

Adnan Darjal, chairman of the Iraqi Football Association, said the UAE has quality professional players, but Iraq's "Lions of Mesopotamia" are prepared for their decisive two-leg playoff. The first match takes place Thursday in Abu Dhabi, followed by the return leg on March 18 in Basra, Iraq.

Darjal was frank about Iraq's recent struggles. "We didn't deliver good technical performances in the previous Asian playoff against Indonesia and Saudi Arabia," he told reporters. "We also failed to qualify directly after throwing away important points in matches against Kuwait and Palestine."

The admission highlights Iraq's rocky path to this playoff stage. After finishing third in their World Cup qualifying group, they now face elimination unless they can overcome the UAE across two matches. For Iraqi fans, this represents their last chance to see their team at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

But Darjal struck an optimistic tone about the upcoming matches. "This is a decisive game, and we hope the players will be at their best. We're staying in constant contact with the players," he said.

The stakes couldn't be higher for both teams. The winner of this Asian playoff advances to an intercontinental playoff for one of the final World Cup spots. Iraq hasn't appeared at a World Cup since 1986, while the UAE last qualified in 1990.

Iraq will need to quickly bounce back from their qualifying disappointments. Dropping points to lower-ranked opponents like Kuwait and Palestine cost them automatic qualification and forced them into this precarious playoff situation.