Iraq's national team coach, Australian Graham Arnold, said yesterday that player Munthar Al-Majeed informed him of his inability to join the team for the matches against the UAE in the Asian playoff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying due to illness.
The Iraqi team will face the UAE team the day after tomorrow at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in the first leg, before playing the second leg at Basra International Stadium on the 18th of this month. The winner of the two-legged tie will advance to the global playoff for the World Cup.
Arnold said on the Iraqi national team's official Facebook page: "I have been in contact with Munthar over the past few days, and we were waiting for him to join the national team's camp in Abu Dhabi to play the two matches against the UAE, but he informed me that he had taken ill after playing about 70 minutes for his Swedish club (Hammarby). Based on that, he will not be with us in the team's squad for the matches against the UAE."
Iraq is aiming to reach the finals for the second time in its history, after 1986 in Mexico.
