The Asian Football Confederation announced on Thursday the appointment of Australian international referee Shaun Evans to officiate the match between Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, part of the playoff round for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The first leg between Iraq and the UAE will take place on November 13 at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, kicking off at 8:00 PM Baghdad time. The second leg is scheduled for November 18 at Basra International Stadium, starting at 7:00 PM.
Both teams are facing each other in the second Asian playoff after failing to secure direct qualification through the fourth round of qualifiers. The winner will advance to face teams from other continents in the intercontinental playoff, which offers two additional spots in the 2026 World Cup.