If the quota granted to the Asian Confederation (8.5 spots) is maintained, the best-positioned team would be Iraq, which was due to play the international playoff match on March 31 in Monterrey (Mexico) against the winner of the semi-final between Bolivia and Suriname. In that case, the United Arab Emirates team could go to that playoff, having lost to Iraq in the Asian zone's 'play-off'. Before Iran's withdrawal, Iraq had already denounced the problems it is having due to the war in preparing for that playoff, a situation that could also affect the Emirati team. 'Due to the closure of airspace, our coach, Graham Arnold, cannot leave the United Arab Emirates,' the Iraqi Football Federation said in a statement on Instagram on Wednesday. 'In addition, several embassies remain closed at this time, which prevents several professional players, technical and medical staff from obtaining entry visas to Mexico,' it added. With Iraq waiting, FIFA can decide on a substitute for Iran at its 'entire discretion'. The news 'With Iraq waiting, FIFA can replace Iran at its 'entire discretion'' was first published on La Verdad Panamá. Iran's withdrawal from the 2026 World Cup, announced this Wednesday by its Sports Minister, is not yet official to FIFA, and opens the expectation for another Asian team, the Iraqi one, which earned the right to play the international playoff, but does not guarantee it a spot, as the competition's regulations are ambiguous on the matter. Section 6.7 of these regulations specifies that 'if a participating federation were to withdraw or be excluded from the FIFA World Cup 26, FIFA shall decide at its entire discretion on the matter and take the actions it deems necessary. FIFA may, in particular, replace said federation with another'. Which teams could benefit from that withdrawal?
