In recent hours, Kuwaiti fans launched the hashtag "Garage Suwaileh" at their stadium (Jaber Ahmad Al-Sabah Stadium) in response to Iraqi fans who initiated the hashtag "Garage Hweidar" at Basra International Stadium. This occurred following the announcement of the draw results for the decisive round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The draw for the Asian qualifiers was held in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Thursday, placing the Iraqi team in Group B alongside South Korea, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait.
Iraqis coined the term "Garage Hweidar" for Al-Jad' Al-Nakhl Stadium, sparking a flurry of posts on social media in Iraq after the draw for the qualifiers. They referred to the stadium as "Garage Hweidar," implying that Iraq will defeat its opponents during the World Cup qualifiers when the match takes place in Basra. "Garage Hweidar" is the lair of a gang in the series "Aalam Al-Sit Wehiba," which aired its first part in the 1990s and its second part during last Ramadan. According to the series' script, anyone who enters this garage does not leave unscathed, leading Iraqis to liken Al-Jad' Al-Nakhl Stadium to the series' garage, where no one exits except to face defeat.
Iraqi social media pages promised defeat to the teams of Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait, and South Korea in "Garage Hweidar."
### Jordanian Fans Respond
In turn, Jordanian fans reacted to the Iraqi posts by claiming ownership of "#Garage_Al-Tamari," referencing their readiness to face Iraq in a revenge match, after Jordan eliminated the Iraqi team from the Round of 16 in the last Asian Cup. This match stirred significant controversy, with Iranian referee Ali Reza Faghani being accused by Iraqi fans of causing their exit from the Asian Cup while allowing Jordan to advance.
Meanwhile, Kuwaiti fans adopted the hashtag "Garage Suwaileh" at their stadium (Jaber Ahmad Al-Sabah Stadium) in imitation of the Iraqi fans, signaling their national team's readiness to face Iraq.
Asia holds 8 direct slots in the 2026 World Cup to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with a chance for a ninth slot through the intercontinental playoff. Group A includes Iran facing Qatar, the 2023 Asian Cup champion, along with Uzbekistan, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, and North Korea. Group C is particularly strong, featuring Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, and Indonesia.
The top two teams from each of the three groups will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, securing six of the eight available direct slots, while the teams finishing third and fourth (6 teams) will enter the Asian playoff, which is conducted in a single round-robin format, with the top team in each group qualifying for the World Cup.
