The United Arab Emirates fell to Iraq in a dramatic second leg in the final of the AFC 2026 World Cup Qualifiers playoffs. A late penalty awarded after a VAR review resulted in Amir Al-Ammari proving the difference for the hosts in Basra.

With this result, the UAE are no longer in contention for a 2026 World Cup berth. Instead, it’s Iraq who keep their hopes alive, as their 2-1 win has given them a ticket to the FIFA inter-confederation playoff for a World Cup spot next year.

Needless to say, this is as heartbreaking as it could’ve been for the UAE, who made a big effort in pursuit of a World Cup berth. They had made it to this stage after finishing the fourth round of the AFC Qualifiers as the Group A runners-up with three points, having beaten Oman before losing to Qatar, who won the g

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