The Iraqi national team arrived in the city of Monterrey after a long journey to play in the World Cup 2026 playoff. The Asian team departed from Jordan and arrived early on Sunday in the 'Sultan of the North,' where they will face the winner of the match between Bolivia and Surinam at the BBVA Stadium. It is worth noting that initially, the Iraqis had requested to postpone their playoff match due to visa issues for their players and the military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Their path was cleared, but despite traveling on a FIFA private plane, the Iraqi team members had to travel for more than 16 hours, with a stop in Lisbon (Portugal) before landing in Monterrey. Iraq will play on March 31 at the BBVA Stadium against the winner of the Bolivia vs. Surinam match for a spot in the World Cup. Meanwhile, the New Caledonia team also arrived yesterday in the Pearl of Tapatía under heavy security, and according to some reports, without official uniforms. The team from this French overseas territory is aiming for the main summer tournament, which they will achieve if they defeat Jamaica on March 26 and five days later, the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the Akron Stadium. On the other hand, the Surinam team, although its coaching staff is already in Monterrey, is awaiting the arrival of the players and squad for the match against the Bolivians, who have been in Nuevo León for 10 days preparing for this encounter.
