The United Arab Emirates are favored to win this second leg match. The UAE are in excellent current form, having lost just once in their last eight outings under coach Graham Arnold, while Iraq are coming off a five-game unbeaten run but showed inconsistency earlier with a five-game winless streak. The first leg ended 1-1 on November 13, 2025, giving the UAE momentum heading into this decisive playoff.

The match starts at 4:00 PM UTC on November 18, 2025. In local Basra time (Iraq), this corresponds to 7:00 PM local time, as the match will be played in Iraq.

The match will be played at Basra, Iraq. This is the second leg of the World Cup 2026 qualifying playoff, with the first leg having been held at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on November 13, 2025.

The United Arab Emirates are predicted to win 2-1 based on their superior current form and home advantage in the first leg. The UAE have demonstrated clinical finishing and defensive stability, while Iraq, despite their historical head-to-head advantage, have shown vulnerability in crucial moments. The first leg draw suggests this will be a competitive match, but the UAE's recent consistency gives them the edge.

In their overall head-to-head record, Iraq lead with 6 wins compared to the UAE's 4 wins out of 14 competitive matches, with 4 draws. In their last five meetings, the UAE have won 1, Iraq have won 2, and 2 ended in draws. The UAE's biggest win over Iraq was 2-0 in 2016, while Iraq's biggest win was 2-0 in 2019. The most recent match on November 13, 2025 ended 1-1.