Khaberni - The task of the Iraq national team has become clear in its journey towards qualification for the 2026 World Cup, after the global playoff draw held today on Thursday put Iraq in a decisive match against the winner of the Bolivia and Suriname encounter, two teams with divergent football and continental backgrounds.
Bolivia (the upcoming competitor from the highlands)
The Bolivia national team, known by the nickname "La Verde" (The Green), belongs to the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), and represents a usual power on the continent despite its recent decline in results.
The team is distinguished thanks to the high altitude of its stadiums, which poses a significant challenge to any opponent.
Bolivia secured its spot in this playoff after achieving a surprising 1-0 victory over Brazil in the last round of the South American qualifiers, and this team, which previously won the Copa America in 1963, hopes to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1994.
Suriname (the Dutch talent mine)
The Suriname national team is a geographical anomaly; it is located in South America but competes under the umbrella of the CONCACAF (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean).
Historically, Suriname has been known as a rich source of talent that played for the Dutch national team, such as Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk, Ruud Gullit, and Clarence Seedorf.
Despite never qualifying for the World Cup before, the team is currently undergoing a radical transformation, where it aims to attract its players of Dutch descent to represent their motherland.
The background of the playoff and Iraq's situation:
The two teams, Bolivia and Suriname, will play in the semi-finals of the second path of the playoff, which involves 6 teams from five continental federations, and will be held in Mexico in March.
Thanks to its advanced international FIFA ranking, Iraq has directly qualified for the final match in this path.
The "Lions of Mesopotamia," led by the Australian coach Graham Arnold, are looking forward to achieving the milestone of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since their solitary participation in 1986, having reached the global playoff after an exciting 3-2 victory over the UAE national team in the aggregate of the fifth stage of the Asian qualifiers
In the first path, the Democratic Republic of Congo awaits the winner of the New Caledonia against Jamaica encounter.
