A file photo of Kuwaiti players preparing for a friendly against China.

DUBAI, March 17: Kuwait will depart from Dubai, UAE, for Basra, Iraq, ahead of its match against Iraq next Thursday in the seventh round of Group B in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The Blues have been based in the UAE since March 9, where they played a single friendly against China, which ended in a 3-1 defeat.

Currently, Kuwait sits in fifth place in the group with 5 points. South Korea leads the group with 14 points, followed by Iraq with 11 points, Jordan with 9, Oman with 6, and Palestine with 3 points.

Kuwait’s first training session in Basra is scheduled for this evening, Tuesday, at the Sports City Stadium. This session will play a crucial role in determining the lineup that Argentine coach Juan Pizzi will field against Iraq.

Iraq started its training on Sunday at Basra Sports City.

The Iraqi Football Association announced that eight players will join the national team’s training the following day: Zidane Iqbal, Hussein Ali, Ali Al-Hammadi, Mirkhas Doski, Frans Diaa, Marco Faraj, Adam Talib, and Mohammed Al-Taie.

The team will hold two training sessions each day—morning and evening. Adnan Dirjal, President of the Iraqi Football Association, and Ahmed Al-Moussawi, Executive Committee member, were present at the training sessions, which saw the participation of players such as Jalal Hassan, Ahmed Basil, Ali Kazim, Kamil Saadi, Ahmed Yahya, Manaf Younis, Akam Hashim, Muhannad Ali, Ali Jassim, Lucas Shlimon, Al-Ay Fadhil, Amir Al-Ammari, Ali Youssef, Haroun Ahmed, Youssef Amin, Ibrahim Bayesh, Peter Korkis, Amjad Atwan, Rebin Sulaqa, Ayman Hussein, and Osama Rashid.

Meanwhile, Oman medical staff is working urgently to treat players dealing with various injuries ahead of their match against South Korea next Thursday. Coach Rashid Jaber is preparing to test alternatives for significant absences in his squad.

Oman will be without its captain, Mohammed Al-Musalmi, who recently announced his retirement from international football. His absence is a major blow to the defense, as he played a key role in Oman’s lineup during their last Gulf Cup appearance.

Oman will also miss midfield star Hareb Al-Saadi, who is suspended for accumulating yellow cards. Additionally, the team faces potential suspensions in their next match against Kuwait, as four players—Ahmed Al-Khamisi, Ali Al-Busaidi, Abdullah Fawaz, and Nasser Al-Rawahi—are at risk of being suspended if they receive another yellow card.

However, the return of Salah Al-Yahyaei from injury is a welcome boost for Oman, strengthening the squad for the upcoming matches.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff