Visa issues are not a side plot before a major tournament; they can reshape everything.
That is why the rumour landed with such force. It touched a genuine fear around tournament logistics, especially for teams travelling across continents. But the update says Iraqi officials also pushed back, insisting the squad has the required approvals and that no wider disruption is expected.
The claim gained extra traction because it named Ali al-Hamadi, a player whose profile naturally draws attention. When a recognisable forward is dragged into a rumour, the story tends to move faster than the facts.
What matters now is that there appears to be no supporting evidence for the suggestion that al-Hamadi, or other unnamed players, had been blocked from travelling. In modern football, that kind of online noise can become a distraction in hours, even when officials move swiftly to deny it.
This is a reminder that international football now lives in two worlds at once:
For Iraq, the priority appears unchanged: keep preparations steady and keep the focus on football. The next storyline to watch is not visa drama, but whether the squad can carry a clear head and full availability into the final stretch before World Cup 2026.