Iraq will host the United Arab Emirates at the Basra International Stadium on Tuesday for the second leg of the finals of the AFC 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. Both sides enter Tuesday’s game desperate to secure the all-important result and keep their hopes of booking a spot in next year’s World Cup alive.
In the first leg last Thursday, Iraq failed to capitalize on their goal-scoring opportunities and had to settle for a 1-1 draw against the UAE. They will be hoping to put up a much stronger performance this midweek to claim the win. The Lions of Mesopotamia narrowly missed out on direct qualification for next year’s tournament but remain optimistic about securing one of the inter-confederation playoff spots, aiming to end their four-decade-long absence from the FIFA World Cup.
The United Arab Emirates were disappointed to lose 2-1 to Qatar in the final game of the fourth round of the qualifiers, having delivered a solid campaign before that match. Now, they face the challenging task of defeating Iraq and then competing against five other teams from around the world for one of two spots at next year’s World Cup finals. The Sons of Zayed have lost only two of their last 10 games across all competitions but will be up against one of their toughest opponents yet when they travel to Basra.
**Iraq vs United Arab Emirates Head-to-Head and Key Numbers**
Going into Tuesday’s game, the sides have met on 32 previous occasions. Iraq have won 11 of those matches, 12 ended in draws, and the UAE have won the remaining nine. The hosts are unbeaten across the last five meetings between the two teams. The visitors, meanwhile, have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last three games in this fixture.
Currently, Iraq are ranked 57th on the FIFA World Rankings, while the United Arab Emirates are ranked 67th.
**Iraq vs United Arab Emirates Prediction**
These sides are closely matched heading into Tuesday’s clash. However, the Lions of Mesopotamia will receive a considerable boost from their home advantage and will hope this edge is enough to secure the win. Al Abyad will aim to force a draw and take the result to extra time or penalties but will need a solid performance to avoid defeat in regular time.
**Prediction: Iraq 2-1 United Arab Emirates**
**Iraq vs United Arab Emirates Betting Tips**
– **Tip 1 – Result:** Iraq to win
– **Tip 2 – Goals Over/Under 2.5:** Over 2.5 goals (Four of the visitors’ last six games have featured more than 2.5 goals)
– **Tip 3 – Both teams to score:** Yes (Both teams have scored in six of the visitors’ last seven games)
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/iraq-vs-united-arab-emirates-prediction-betting-tips-november-18th-2025