Iraq coach Arnold begs FIFA to reschedule its WC playoff

"Please help us with this game because right now we are struggling to get our players out of the country of Iraq. Close to 60 percent of Arnold's first-choice squad is drawn from the domestic Iraqi league, but those players and many of his backroom staff, including interpreter and former Sydney FC winger Ali Abbas, remain unable to fly out of Iraq."

"In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game it gives us time to prepare properly. Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the US -- the winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home."

Graham Arnold, Iraq's national team coach, is appealing to FIFA for assistance regarding Iraq's World Cup playoff scheduled for March 31 in Mexico. The match against the winner of a Suriname-Bolivia playoff will determine Iraq's qualification for its first World Cup since 1986. Regional conflict between Iran and the United States has created a crisis, as Iraqi airspace remains closed until April 1, preventing approximately 60 percent of Arnold's squad from departing Iraq. Players from the domestic Iraqi league and backroom staff, including interpreter Ali Abbas, cannot travel. A pre-match training camp in Houston has been postponed. Arnold proposes delaying the playoff to allow proper preparation and provide FIFA time to assess the geopolitical situation.

Read at ESPN.com