Khaberni - The Iraqi team drew with its Emirati counterpart 1-1 in the first leg of the Asian play-off qualifier for the 2026 World Cup at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
Ali Al-Hammadi scored Iraq's goal in the 10th minute, taking advantage of confusion in the defense, before Loai Pereira equalized for the UAE with a powerful header in the 18th minute, ending the match with this result.
The return leg on November 18 at the Basra International Stadium will determine the team advancing to the global play-off in March 2026, where six teams will compete for the last two World Cup spots as per FIFA’s system.
