Sport24.az
If Iran does not participate in the 2026 World Cup, another team from the Asian Football Confederation could take its place. Sport24.az reports that this was reported by ESPN.
Iraq is a candidate for this spot. On March 31, the Iraqi national team will play the winner of the Bolivia-Suriname match in the final of the intercontinental play-offs. Even if Iraq loses this match, it could still qualify for the World Cup instead of Iran.
If Iraq wins and qualifies for the tournament directly through the play-offs, the next contender will be the United Arab Emirates. The UAE lost to Iraq in the final of the qualifying round and is next in line among AFC teams.
