What was the outcome of the match between Saudi Arabia and Iraq?

The match ended in a goalless draw (0-0), which allowed Saudi Arabia to qualify for the 2026 World Cup due to their goal difference from previous matches.

Why is Saudi Arabia's qualification for the World Cup significant?

This qualification marks Saudi Arabia's seventh participation in World Cup history, reinforcing their status as one of the strongest teams in Asia.

What are Iraq's next steps after not qualifying directly for the World Cup?

Iraq will play a two-legged playoff against the UAE on November 13 and 18, 2023. The winner will compete in a global playoff for a chance to qualify for the World Cup.

How did the Iraqi coach react after the match?

The Iraqi coach criticized the Asian Football Confederation, claiming bias in refereeing that complicated Iraq's chances against favored teams.

What historical context surrounds Iraq's World Cup participation?

Iraq has qualified for the World Cup only once, in 1986, and is seeking to return after nearly 40 years.

Saudi Arabia qualifies for the 2026 World Cup, leaving Iraq in the Asian playoff

Q: What preparations are underway for the Saudi team ahead of the World Cup?

The Saudi team is fully prepared to present an honorable performance in the 2026 World Cup.

The Saudi national team secured a spot in the finals of the World Cup 2026 after a goalless draw with their Iraqi counterpart in a crucial match during the third round of the Asian playoff qualifying for the World Cup.

The Saudi team only needed one point to guarantee qualification, which was achieved after the match held at a neutral venue.

* Match details and qualification

Although the match ended in a draw 0 _ 0, Saudi Arabia benefited from the goal difference in previous matches to qualify directly for the finals.

In the first round of the qualifiers, the Saudi team defeated Indonesia 3_2, while the Iraqi team overcame Indonesia 1_0 in the second round, giving Saudi Arabia the advantage.

* Iraq's global playoff

Despite losing the direct qualification spot, Iraq's hopes are not over yet;

The Iraqi team will play another Asian playoff match against the UAE, which finished second in Group A.

The two-legged playoff matches will take place on 13 and 18 November, and the winner between them will determine the team that will qualify to face a team from another continent in the global playoff, which will be Iraq's last chance to reach the World Cup after a long absence from participation, as the Iraqi team qualified for the global tournament only once in 1986.

* Saudi Arabia's deserved qualification

With this qualification, the Saudi national team secures its seventh participation in the history of the World Cup, enhancing its status as one of the strongest teams in Asia, while Iraq's hopes remain hanging in the upcoming playoff.

* Comments from the Iraqi coach

Following the match, the Iraqi coach made fiery statements accusing the Asian Football Confederation of bias towards certain teams, pointing out that "the refereeing played a significant role in complicating Iraq's task, especially with teams that are given preference."

* Remaining details for the qualifying matches

The Saudi team is now fully prepared to present an honorable performance in the World Cup 2026, while the Iraqi team will continue its pursuit to return to the global tournament after an absence of nearly 40 years.