Iraq has decided against playing their World Cup qualifier against Palestine in Amman, raising concerns over fairness in the Asian qualifiers. The Iraqi Football Association cited rules about neutral venues and the lack of VAR technology for their withdrawal. Meanwhile, Palestine’s Football Association expressed disappointment and reaffirmed their commitment to host matches in their territory.
Iraq has declined to play their World Cup qualifier match against Palestine, scheduled for March 25, at a proposed neutral venue in Amman. Following the rejection of playing in the Palestinian territories, the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) expressed concerns that playing in Amman would contradict FIFA’s rules regarding neutral venues. The IFA’s statement highlighted the competitive nature of Group B, where Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine are all contenders.
Previously, Palestine had attempted to host their matches in the Palestinian territories; however, since October 2019, they have played at neutral sites in Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, and Malaysia instead. Despite FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) agreement to allow the match at Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in Al-Ram, Iraq refused this option, raising questions over the perceived fairness of the competition.
In response, the Palestine Football Association (PFA) expressed disappointment at Iraq’s decision to withdraw from playing in Palestine without prior consultation. The PFA emphasized their commitment to hosting matches on home soil, stating their long-standing efforts to secure this right. Iraq justified their decision based on the absence of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology at the stadium, despite expressing a desire to support Palestinian sports.
The situation regarding Iraq’s refusal to play Palestine in their upcoming World Cup qualifier has sparked significant discussions about fairness in the Asian qualifiers. The decision reflects broader geopolitical issues and the challenges faced by Palestinian sports. With ongoing negotiations for future matches, both associations continue to assert their aspirations for home games, highlighting the complexity of sport in regions marked by conflict.
Original Source: www.flashscore.com
