The Iraqi Football Association announced that it has booked tickets for the coaching staff and players to attend the Bolivia–Suriname match on March 26, as part of preparations for the playoff that qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Iraqi national team will also prepare through a training camp in Mexico, scheduled to begin on March 5, during which it will play a friendly match. The goal is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the potential opponent and prepare well for the decisive match on April 1.

Ghalib Al‑Zamili, a member of the Football Association, said the purpose is to closely monitor both teams and allow the coaching staff to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the team that will face Iraq in the intercontinental playoff for the 2026 World Cup.

Al‑Zamili explained that the Iraqi delegation’s plane is expected to depart for Mexico next Thursday (March 5), in preparation for the crucial match on April 1—a decisive encounter in which Iraq aims to secure a World Cup qualification spot.

He added that the team will enter an intensive training camp upon arrival, which will be its final preparation before the decisive match. The camp will include a friendly match against an opponent to be determined later, as part of the team’s technical and physical preparations.

Al‑Zamili noted that the Association has obtained approval from the clubs of Iraq’s professional players to release them six days before the FIFA international window, giving the coaching staff more time to gather the players early and strengthen team cohesion ahead of this important challenge.

The playoff match will be held as a single‑elimination game, with the winner claiming the final qualification spot for the first-ever 48‑team World Cup, which will be hosted next year by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.