Khaberni - Asaad Al-Eidani, the governor of Basra, announced the suspension of the official working hours in the province on Tuesday, to give the Iraqi fans the opportunity to support the national team in its crucial match against the UAE.
Al-Eidani added in a statement published by the Iraqi News Agency "INA" on Monday: The decision to suspend work is in line with the great public momentum and the local government's keenness to provide a suitable atmosphere to support the team.
The Iraq national team and its Emirati counterpart look forward to continuing their dream towards qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, scheduled in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The teams will meet in a purely Arab encounter in the city of Basra in southern Iraq, Tuesday, in the second leg of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup, to be held next summer, where both teams aim for a victory after their first meeting, which was held in Abu Dhabi last Thursday, ended in a positive draw 1-1.
