Iraq asks for World Cup playoff delay amid Middle East turmoil

Seth Vertelney, USA TODAY Mon, 9 March 2026 at 1:02 pm UTC·2 min read Iraq national team head coach Graham Arnold has requested a delay in his country's World Cup playoff later this month amid a tumultuous situation across the Middle East. The United States and Israel attacked Iran late last month, setting off a conflict across the region. That has included Iraq, where Iran has launched missile attacks at a U.S. air base in Erbil.Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, Iraqi airspace has been closed down. According to The Guardian, the Iraq Football Association (IFA) was notified that the closure would last for “at least four weeks." Iraq is currently scheduled to play...