White is strong…and the dream of the World Cup exists

During a coordination meeting held today, Sunday, at its headquarters in Dubai with the National Team Fans Association and representatives of club associations, the Football Association discussed arrangements for public attendance at the national team’s match against its Iraqi counterpart scheduled for November 13 at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, within the first leg of the qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup finals, at a time when fans stressed that “the team is strong… and the dream of the World Cup still exists.”
The meeting, which was attended by the work team supervising the fans, discussed many organizational and media aspects related to the entry of the fans, the distribution of flags and encouraging signs, and the coordination of the locations of the links inside the stands, to ensure an influential presence and great support for “Al-Abyad” in this fateful confrontation.
It was also emphasized to continue activating the “Dream of a Homeland” campaign recently launched by the Union, which witnessed broad interaction from various segments of society, through a series of innovative public initiatives, most notably the use of flags, shawls and expressive paintings that reflect the spirit of belonging and support for the national team.
The national team will face Iraq in the first leg of the Asian playoff to qualify for the final stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with the return match being held on November 18 in Basra.
“Al-Abyad” is seeking to restore its balance under the leadership of Romanian coach Elario Cosmin, hoping to get a step closer to the World Cup dream, especially since the team includes an elite group of young and experienced players who are counting on it to achieve a positive result on its home soil and in front of its fans.
A number of fans confirmed in statements to “Emirates Al-Youm” that “supporting the team is a national duty,” and that “the fans will be behind Al-Abyad in his mission against Iraq.”
Fan Marwan Muhammad said: “Some fans say that the dream is over, but the truth is that the dream still exists. We have two matches against Iraq, and the team is strong and able to compensate. We will fight until the last minute.”
He added: “Whoever carries the UAE flag and shirt must fight until the end, and the fans will always be the first supporter of the national team under any circumstances.”
As for the fan, Saleh Al-Mansouri, he said: “We have a team capable of reaching the World Cup, and we will stand behind it until the World Cup dream comes true, and we will prove that the Whites are capable of going far in the qualifiers.”
Fan Yousef Al-Balushi continued: “The dream of a nation is to support and encourage 90 minutes in the hearts of the players. On Thursday (13th of this month), the stadium must be closed to the end, to encourage the players on the field, and urge them to give everything they can. Hope exists and the team is capable of winning and reaching the next stage.”