Iraq manager makes World Cup request to FIFA amid play-off chaos

Iraq manager Graham Arnold has made a public plea to FIFA after the situation in Middle East threw their upcoming World Cup play-off into chaos.

Iraq are hopeful of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 1986 and are poised to take on the winner of Suriname and Bolivia in a one-off game in Monterrey, Mexico on the 31 March.

However, there is great uncertainty over the fixture given recent events in the region after the US and Israel took military action against Iran and the country responded with missiles aimed at US bases.

The Iraqi city of Erbil has a US base and has been impacted. Because of security precautions, Iraq's airspace is not due to open until April 1 - a day after the scheduled play-off.

The Lions of Mesopotamia's team is primarily made up of players based in Iraq, meaning they, along with key members of the backroom staff, are unable to fly out.

The nation's prematch camp in Houston has been cancelled but Arnold, who had two spells in charge of Australia and led them to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has called for FIFA to rethink the schedule.

Iraq are one game away from a first World Cup in 40 years. Image: Getty

With issues involving visas for players and staff, he is calling for the footballing governing body to delay the play-off until a week before the World Cup in June and play it in the US.

He believes his suggestions also works in the event that Iran pull out of the tournament and see Iraq take their automatic spot as the highest-ranked team and the United Arab Emirates go into the play-off.

"Please help us with this game because right now we are struggling to get our players out of the country of Iraq," Arnold, who is stuck in Dubai, told AAP, as per ESPN.

"In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game, it gives us time to prepare properly. Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the U.S - the winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home.

"In my opinion, it also gives FIFA more time to decide what Iran is going to do.

"If Iran withdraws, we go into the World Cup, and it gives the UAE, who we beat in qualifying, the chance to prepare for either Bolivia or Suriname.

"Our federation's president Adnan Dirjal is working around the clock trying to plan and prepare to make everyone in Iraq's dream come true, so we need this decision made quickly."

FIFA proposal turned down by Iraq

According to The Guardian, FIFA came up with a possible solution to ensure that the play-off in Monterrey went ahead as planned.

The governing body are believed to have suggested that Iraq players travel from Baghdad to Istanbul, Turkey by road. That journey, which would be through the areas which have been under attack from Iranian drones, amounts to 25 hours.

The squad would then fly from Istanbul to Mexico under FIFA's proposition. However, Arnold is understood to have told the Iraq FA that he would not allow his players to travel for such a long period of time with the current state of affairs.