According to reports, the Iraq Football Federation announced early Monday that it had terminated the contract of Jesús Casas, the Spanish coach of the national team, due to a severe breach of contractual terms. The official statement from the Iraqi federation stated that Casas left the country without permission and, despite official warnings, did not return—an action described by the federation as “a serious failure to adhere to commitments.”

This decision was made based on Article 14 of FIFA’s regulations on the status and transfers of players. The Iraq Football Federation emphasized that it has officially informed FIFA to defend its legal rights in relevant institutions. With this decision, Casas’ tenure with the Iraq national team, which began in 2022, has ended—a period that, despite winning the Gulf Cup, concluded without significant achievements in the World Cup qualifiers.

Casas had a turbulent performance during his time with the Iraq national team. While the Gulf Cup victory was the highlight of his tenure, poor results in the World Cup qualifiers and dissatisfaction from the federation ultimately led to the termination of his contract.

The Iraq national team is scheduled to face South Korea and Jordan in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on June 6 and 10. Iraq currently sits third in Group B with 12 points, closely trailing Jordan (13 points) and South Korea (16 points). However, unexpected losses to Palestine and a home draw against Oman have dimmed their hopes for direct qualification.

The Iraq Football Federation has not yet announced Casas’ successor, but media reports suggest names such as Carlos Queiroz and Branko Ivanković as potential candidates.