UAE's crucial 2022 World Cup qualifier against Iraq to be played at neutral venue

The UAE’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Iraq, originally set for Baghdad next week, will be played at a neutral venue outside the host country.

The Football Association confirmed on Wednesday that the March 24 tie, the penultimate match day in Group A that has major implications in the race for Qatar 2022, will no longer be staged in the Iraqi capital.

The National understands the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will confirm the new venue within the next 24 to 48 hours.

A statement from the FA read: “Fifa and the AFC have decided to transfer the national team match against Iraq in Group A of the 2022 World Cup qualification, which is scheduled to be played on March 24, to a neutral venue. This venue will be announced in the upcoming days.”

With two matches in the final round remaining, the UAE sit third in Group A and in pole position to secure its play-off spot. Iran and South Korea have already sealed the top two places that guarantee direct entry to the World Cup. After the rescheduled Iraq encounter, the UAE round off their campaign against South Korea in Dubai on March 29.

Should the UAE finish third in Group A, they would enter a play-off against the third-placed side in Group B – currently Australia – with the winner of that tie then progressing to the intercontinental play-off for a berth at the Middle East's first World Cup.

At present, the UAE are three points above Lebanon in fourth, with fifth-placed Iraq one point further back. The national team have only once previously appeared at a global finals, in 1990.

The UAE are currently training in Dubai with new manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena, the Argentine who was appointed last month as successor to Bert van Marwijk. The UAE were set to leave for Iraq next Tuesday.

Arruabarrena, 46, has been tasked initially with guiding his new side through the finale to World Cup qualification, with the play-off spot the national team’s to lose.

Van Marwijk’s departure came as a shock, given the final round had only two matches to run. The Dutchman, in his second stint as manager, had been heavily criticised following the UAE’s exit at the quarter-final of the Fifa Arab Cup in December, when they lost 5-0 to hosts Qatar, but had managed the national team through the most recent set of qualifiers in January and February.

Arruabarrena, meanwhile, has experience of managing in the Emirates, having enjoyed successful spells at both Al Wasl and Shabab Al Ahli.

However, the UAE represents his first foray into international management. He was most recently employed at Egyptian side FC Pyramid, but was dismissed in June last year, seven months into his contract. Arruabarrena’s contract with the UAE runs until next year’s Asian Cup.