Iraq were handed a challenging draw in the Fifa World Cup intercontinental playoffs, requiring to beat Bolivia or Suriname in a one-off match next March to qualify for the finals in North America.
Iraq qualified for the playoffs in dramatic circumstances, defeating the UAE in Basra following a 107th-minute penalty.
After a controversial ruling of handball, Ali Al Ammari stepped up to hand Iraq a 2-1 win over the UAE and take them a step closer to the finals for the first time since 1986.
Now, Graham Arnold's team are just one win away from the finals, with Bolivia most likely to be their opponents in the winner-takes-all clash.
Congo are the other team in the intercontinental playoffs and will play the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica.
The intercontinental playoff games will be staged in Mexico from March 23-31 in Guadalajara and Monterrey.
Meanwhile, four-time World Cup winners Italy will face Northern Ireland in the semi-finals of the European playoffs for the 2026 finals.
If Italy get through that match on March 26 next year, they will play the winners of Wales's semi-final against Bosnia-Herzegovina five days later.
The Italians will be hoping to avoid the painful elimination they suffered in the playoffs for the 2022 finals in Qatar.
In other eye-catching matchups, Ukraine will play a star-studded Sweden team that could feature Liverpool forward Alexander Isak and Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres.
If the Ukrainians get past the Swedes, they will face the winner of Poland's match against Albania for a place in the showpiece event.
The Republic of Ireland, who reached the playoffs thanks to a late goal from Troy Parrott that earned a 3-2 win in Hungary on Sunday, will travel to the Czech Republic.
The winners of that match will host the winners of the semi-final between Denmark and North Macedonia.
Turkey will play Romania, who were surprise quarter-finalists the last time the tournament was played in the United States in 1994.
The winners of that game will face either Slovakia or Kosovo, who are bidding to reach a World Cup for the first time in their history.
A total of six teams will advance from the two sets of playoffs. The other 42 teams were confirmed this week.
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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