Latest news with #GrahamArnold
Gulf Insider
a day ago
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
UAE To Face Qatar, Oman In World Cup Qualifiers
The United Arab Emirates were drawn to take on Qatar and Oman in the fourth phase of Asia's preliminaries for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday. According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the winners of each of the three-team groups, which will be played in October, will join already-qualified Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran and Jordan at next year's expanded 48-nation finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Saudi Arabia will host Group A and open against Indonesia on October 8. Indonesia will then play Graham Arnold's Iraq on October 11 before the Saudis and Iraq face off on 14th October. Group B hosts Qatar, organisers of the 2022 World Cup, will take on Oman in their first game on October 8. The UAE will face Oman on October 11, with Qatar and the UAE meeting on October 14. The nations finishing in second place in each group will advance to a further round of qualifying, which will be held over two legs in November on a home-and-away basis. Source Bahrain News Agency
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Arnold confident his experience can help make Iraq's World Cup dream come true
JEDDAH: Iraq coach Graham Arnold is confident he can lead the country to a first World Cup in 40 years after his team were drawn to face Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in the next phase of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament in North America. The three teams will play each other in Jeddah in October, with the winner of the group advancing directly to the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Former Australia boss Arnold, who replaced Jesus Casas in May, will be attempting to steer Iraq to the World Cup for the second time after they made their debut at Mexico 1986. "I have extensive experience working against both the Saudi and Indonesian national teams. I know their strengths, but I also know their weaknesses," Arnold said. "But we are Iraq, an extremely proud nation with a higher FIFA ranking than both Saudi and Indonesia and we need to prove that." Arnold's finest coaching achievement to date came at the 2022 World Cup when he led Australia to the last 16, with the Socceroos eliminated by eventual champions Argentina. He resigned as Australia coach in September last year following a 0-0 draw with Indonesia in Jakarta. The 61-year-old last faced Saudi Arabia in March 2022, when his Australia team lost 1-0 in World Cup qualifier at the same King Abdullah Sports City Stadium where his Iraq team will face the Green Falcons on Oct. 14. "Having the belief in the players as I do, when we reach the crucial playoff matches in October, they will be in peak form, both physically and mentally ready to win," he said. "I firmly believe this is our time and we will fight with everything we have to make the dream of millions of Iraqis come true." The group runners-up will progress to a playoff for a berth in a series of intercontinental match-ups in March. Australia overcame a poor start under Arnold to book their spot at the expanded 48-team World Cup with Tony Popovic in charge. Regional heavyweights Japan, South Korea and Iran also secured berths in North America, along with first-time qualifiers Uzbekistan and Jordan.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Arnold confident his experience can help make Iraq's World Cup dream come true
Iraq coach Graham Arnold is confident he can lead the country to a first World Cup in 40 years after his team were drawn to face Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in the next phase of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament in North America. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Arnold confident his experience can help make Iraq's World Cup dream come true
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Group B - Iraq v South Korea - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - June 5, 2025 Iraq coach Graham Arnold and Rene Meulensteen REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo (Reuters) -Iraq coach Graham Arnold is confident he can lead the country to a first World Cup in 40 years after his team were drawn to face Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in the next phase of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament in North America. The three teams will play each other in Jeddah in October, with the winner of the group advancing directly to the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Former Australia boss Arnold, who replaced Jesus Casas in May, will be attempting to steer Iraq to the World Cup for the second time after they made their debut at Mexico 1986. "I have extensive experience working against both the Saudi and Indonesian national teams. I know their strengths, but I also know their weaknesses," Arnold said. "But we are Iraq, an extremely proud nation with a higher FIFA ranking than both Saudi and Indonesia and we need to prove that." Arnold's finest coaching achievement to date came at the 2022 World Cup when he led Australia to the last 16, with the Socceroos eliminated by eventual champions Argentina. He resigned as Australia coach in September last year following a 0-0 draw with Indonesia in Jakarta. The 61-year-old last faced Saudi Arabia in March 2022, when his Australia team lost 1-0 in World Cup qualifier at the same King Abdullah Sports City Stadium where his Iraq team will face the Green Falcons on Oct. 14. "Having the belief in the players as I do, when we reach the crucial playoff matches in October, they will be in peak form, both physically and mentally ready to win," he said. "I firmly believe this is our time and we will fight with everything we have to make the dream of millions of Iraqis come true." The group runners-up will progress to a playoff for a berth in a series of intercontinental match-ups in March. Australia overcame a poor start under Arnold to book their spot at the expanded 48-team World Cup with Tony Popovic in charge. Regional heavyweights Japan, South Korea and Iran also secured berths in North America, along with first-time qualifiers Uzbekistan and Jordan. (Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Peter Rutherford)
CNA
2 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Arnold confident his experience can help make Iraq's World Cup dream come true
Iraq coach Graham Arnold is confident he can lead the country to a first World Cup in 40 years after his team were drawn to face Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in the next phase of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament in North America. The three teams will play each other in Jeddah in October, with the winner of the group advancing directly to the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Former Australia boss Arnold, who replaced Jesus Casas in May, will be attempting to steer Iraq to the World Cup for the second time after they made their debut at Mexico 1986. "I have extensive experience working against both the Saudi and Indonesian national teams. I know their strengths, but I also know their weaknesses," Arnold said. "But we are Iraq, an extremely proud nation with a higher FIFA ranking than both Saudi and Indonesia and we need to prove that." Arnold's finest coaching achievement to date came at the 2022 World Cup when he led Australia to the last 16, with the Socceroos eliminated by eventual champions Argentina. He resigned as Australia coach in September last year following a 0-0 draw with Indonesia in Jakarta. The 61-year-old last faced Saudi Arabia in March 2022, when his Australia team lost 1-0 in World Cup qualifier at the same King Abdullah Sports City Stadium where his Iraq team will face the Green Falcons on Oct. 14. "Having the belief in the players as I do, when we reach the crucial playoff matches in October, they will be in peak form, both physically and mentally ready to win," he said. "I firmly believe this is our time and we will fight with everything we have to make the dream of millions of Iraqis come true." The group runners-up will progress to a playoff for a berth in a series of intercontinental match-ups in March. Australia overcame a poor start under Arnold to book their spot at the expanded 48-team World Cup with Tony Popovic in charge.
