Khaberni - On the upcoming Tuesday, the eyes of Saudi and Iraqi football fans will turn towards the Inmaa Stadium in Jeddah, to watch the decisive match between "Al-Akhdar" and "Lions of Mesopotamia" within the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
This decisive match is part of the competitions for the second group of the Asian playoff qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup finals, with the Saudi team leading with three points, ahead of their Iraqi counterpart on goal difference, followed by Indonesia in the last third place without points.
The direct qualification slot for the 2026 World Cup, set to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is contested between the Saudi and Iraqi teams.
Here is the ranking of the second group:
1- Saudi Arabia (3 points, 3 goals for, 2 against).
2- Iraq (3 points, owns one goal).
3- Indonesia (without points).
Thus, "Al-Akhdar" enters this decisive match with the possibilities of either winning or drawing to directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after scoring three goals against its Indonesian counterpart, conceding two.
Meanwhile, this crucial confrontation is a do-or-die for Iraq, which needs only a win to qualify, having scored a single goal against its Indonesian counterpart.
The loser in the match between Saudi Arabia and Iraq will compete for the last qualifying slot with the runner-up from the first group of the playoff, which includes the Emirates, Qatar, and Oman.
In case of a draw, the Saudi national team will directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while Iraq will face the runner-up from the first group.
