Iraq and Saudi Arabia Set for Decisive World Cup Qualifier in Jeddah

Baghdad / NINA /- Football fans across Iraq are eagerly awaiting a decisive clash tonight, as the Iraqi national team faces Saudi Arabia at 9:45 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, in the Asian playoff qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The match, officiated by Jordanian international referee Adham Makhadmeh, will be a crucial showdown to determine which team secures direct qualification from Group B to the World Cup finals.

Both teams are eyeing victory to clinch the qualification ticket. The Saudi national team enters the match with the advantage of needing only a win or a draw to seal its third consecutive and seventh overall World Cup appearance. Meanwhile, the "Lions of Mesopotamia" must win to top the group and revive their long-awaited dream of returning to the World Cup stage for the first time since Mexico 1986.

Saudi Arabia currently leads Group B with three points, ahead of Iraq on goal difference. The Saudis defeated Indonesia 3–2, while Iraq edged Indonesia 1–0.

According to the playoff regulations, the team finishing first in each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the runners-up from Groups A and B will face each other in a two-legged playoff on November 13 and 18 to determine who advances to the intercontinental playoff.

Iraq’s head coach, Australian Graham Arnold, said the pressure would be greater on Saudi Arabia despite having two qualification scenarios, stressing that all Iraqi players are fully prepared, including Ayman Hussein and Zidane Iqbal.

On the other side, Saudi head coach Hervé Renard described the match as “the most important in my coaching career.” Speaking at Monday’s press conference, Renard acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter but expressed his passion for big challenges, adding that he has full confidence in his players’ abilities and their determination to reach the World Cup./ End