Kuwaiti players preparing for the World Cup qualifier.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 8: Kuwait held a morning training session at the health institute within their residence at the Radisson Blu Hotel, under the direction of Argentine head coach Juan Pizzi. The team later conducted an evening training session at Thamer Stadium in preparation for its crucial match against Iraq at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, as part of the second round of Group Two in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Key players Mohammed Daham, Hassan Hamdan, and Mashari Ghanem rejoined the squad for training after missing the first-round match against Jordan due to travel issues.

During the morning session, Pizzi focused on preparing all players for the upcoming Iraq clash and improving the physical fitness of several players. The evening training at Thamer Stadium saw full participation, with the national team’s medical chief, Dr. Abdul Majeed Al-Bannai, confirming that all players were fit and ready for the match, with no significant injuries reported.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s head coach, Jesus Casas, granted player Ali Jassim a rest following a minor injury he sustained in the opening match against Oman. Casas opted for Jassim to continue his recovery exercises while the rest of the squad trained as usual in preparation for the game against Kuwait. The Iraqi delegation is set to arrive today and will conduct a single training session at Jaber Stadium. Coach Casas emphasized the importance of staying focused, acknowledging the difficulty of the match against Kuwait and the need to secure a win to maintain momentum in the qualifiers.

In other news, Iraqi players rallied to support their teammate Ayman Hussein, who was hospitalized in Kuwait following an injury. The team stayed in contact with him and his family, sending well wishes for a speedy recovery.

FIFA has appointed a Japanese refereeing team to officiate the match, led by Kimura Hiroyuki as the main referee, with assistants Asada Takeshi, Takebi Yusuke, and fourth official Kasahara Hiroki. Additional officials include Qatari Jassim Mohammed Al-Hayel as referee observer, Myanmar's Win Si Thu as match observer, and Japan’s Mitsutoshi Ota overseeing VAR technology. A pre-match press conference will be held this evening at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium's media center, featuring a coach and player from each team to discuss their preparations. The press conference will be preceded by a technical meeting.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff