The UAE Football Association has confirmed that the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi will host the first leg of the UAE national team’s crucial World Cup 2026 qualifying playoff against Iraq. The match is scheduled for Thursday, November 13, at 8 pm local time. The second leg will take place on November 18 in Iraq, with the aggregate winner advancing to the intercontinental playoff. Despite a recent defeat to Qatar in the qualifiers, the UAE retains a chance to secure a spot in the World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The winner of the UAE-Iraq playoff will join five other teams from Africa, North and Central America, South America, and Oceania in the final intercontinental playoff, where six teams will compete for the last two World Cup slots. Qatar and Saudi Arabia have already secured their places in the tournament after topping their respective groups in the fourth round of Asian qualifying.
Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium to host UAE vs Iraq World Cup qualifier
