Former national football team coach Dr. Abdullah Musfar commented on the possibility of the national team qualifying for the 2026 World Cup if the Iranian team withdraws. He said he would certainly be happy if this happened, but at the same time, he cautioned against excessive optimism. Musfar stressed that this would depend on many factors according to FIFA's mechanisms in such cases, as well as the situation of the Iraqi team, which will play in the World Cup qualifying playoffs. He also expressed doubt that the Iranian team would easily give up a chance to qualify. Musfar told 'Al-Emarat Al-Youm': 'A team withdrawing and being replaced by another is not the first precedent in history; there are several examples, including Denmark replacing Yugoslavia in Euro 1992 after UEFA excluded Yugoslavia due to the civil war, leading Denmark to win the title.' He explained: 'While everything is possible, and the team can qualify for the World Cup, we should not be overly optimistic, especially as there is still plenty of time before the tournament kicks off in June.' Regarding the FIFA qualification process in case of an Iranian withdrawal, Musfar said: 'The Iraqi team defeated the UAE's 'Al-Abiyah' 2-1 in the second leg of the playoff after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, so they are more deserving of qualification unless they succeed in the upcoming intercontinental playoffs.' Musfar questioned: 'If the team qualifies for the World Cup, will it participate with its current squad led by Romanian coach Olarion Cosmin, who failed to lead the team to direct qualification?' He clarified: 'There is a conviction that Cosmin is the most suitable to lead the team if they qualify, but there are many matters in this regard, and it is not the time to discuss them now.' On another note, commenting on the upcoming national team training camp this month as part of preparations for upcoming competitions, especially the 27th Gulf Cup scheduled for September, Musfar said that if the team continues its preparations without interruption, 'there will be new elements joining the team in the coming period,' stressing the importance of the coach trying out some new players to judge them up close.
