Costa Rica on Wednesday suspended a friendly match scheduled for Thursday against Iraq after being forced to stamp passports at the border of that country and Kuwait, a breach of contract, the Costa Rican Football Federation (FCRF) confirmed.
“Officially we indicated to them that the match against Iraq was suspended. An agreement that had not been respected with the non-stamping of passports was not respected and for this reason it was decided not to enter Iraq and cancel the match,” explained FCRF spokeswoman Gina Escobar, still at the border of both countries aboard the Costa Rican team’s bus.
The agreement with the Iraqi government was to cross the border without stamping the passports of players and coaching staff from Kuwait, where Costa Rica was preparing before its participation in the World Cup Qatar-2022.
For the moment, the team and coaching staff remain at the border crossing pending administrative procedures to return to Kuwait.
The match against Iraq, which was to be played in the city of Basra, was the last test for ‘la Sele’ before starting its World Cup journey on Wednesday, November 23 against Spain, on the first day of Group E, which is completed by Germany and Japan.
First and second place in each group will advance to the round of 16 of the Qatar-2022 World Cup, which for the first time will be played in an Arab country and at the end of the year, due to the high temperatures recorded in the Arabian Peninsula in the northern summer.
