Iraq’s World Cup qualifier against Australia will go ahead as scheduled this weekend after FIFA agreed to temporarily lift the suspension on the country’s football association.
The match had been in doubt after FIFA announced on Monday they were suspending Iraq in response to their government’s decision to dissolve their National Olympic Committee.
However, FIFA agreed to revoke the ban after the Iraqi government provided written assurances that they had not dissolved the Iraqi Football Association (IFA).
FIFA released a statement confirming they had lifted the ban so Sunday’s World Cup qualifier would proceed but warned Baghdad that it was only provisional.
“This letter is a positive step, however it does not fully answer all of FIFA’s concerns about the governmental attempts to control the Iraqi federations and the Iraqi National Olympic Committee,” the FIFA statement said.
