Iraqi Football Association
Iraqi football's governing body; secured 2026 World Cup qualification through closed airspace with FIFA's logistical help.
Last refreshed: 1 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
How does the IFA prepare a squad scattered across continents while Iraqi airspace stays closed?
Latest on Iraqi Football Association
- How did Iraq qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
- Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 in Monterrey on 31 March 2026. They assembled via chartered jets through closed Iraqi airspace after FIFA helped the IFA secure Mexican visas for European-based players.Source: Al Jazeera
- When did Iraq last play in a World Cup?
- Mexico 1986, where Iraq lost all three group matches. The 2026 tournament is their first World Cup in 40 years.
- Who is the coach of Iraq's national football team?
- Graham Arnold, an Australian manager who led Iraq through the 2026 qualification campaign including the logistical challenge of closed Iraqi airspace.Source: Al Jazeera
- Who is the head of the Iraqi Football Association?
- Adnan Dirjal, who described FIFA as co-operative during visa negotiations to enable the squad's travel to Monterrey through closed airspace.Source: Al Jazeera
Background
The Iraqi Football Association (IFA) oversaw Iraq's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under conditions that had no precedent in tournament history. Iraqi airspace was closed following the Iran-US conflict that escalated in early March 2026. Coach Graham Arnold had requested FIFA postpone the playoff entirely, arguing closed airspace, shuttered embassies, and stranded players made squad assembly physically impossible. FIFA declined but helped the IFA secure Mexican visas for European-based players travelling to Monterrey via chartered jets. Arnold was personally waiting outside the team hotel to greet arriving squad members. Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 on 31 March to reach their first World Cup in 40 years.
The IFA was founded in 1948 and is affiliated with both FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Iraq's football heritage includes their only World Cup appearance at Mexico 1986, where they lost all three group matches. Their most significant achievement remains the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, won on home soil and celebrated as a rare national unifying moment during the height of the country's sectarian conflict. IFA chief Adnan Dirjal described FIFA as "co-operative" during the visa negotiations.
Iraq were drawn into Group I alongside France, Senegal, and Norway for the 2026 group stage. The IFA now faces the challenge of preparing a squad scattered across European and Middle Eastern clubs while Iraqi airspace restrictions remain in place. The only comparable historical case was Kuwait at Mexico 1982, who trained abroad during the Iran-Iraq War, but Kuwaiti airspace remained open throughout. Iraq's qualification through fully closed airspace has no exact precedent in FIFA history.
