Sammy McIlroy's players are due to play in Armenia on 29 March

Doubts have been raised over whether Northern Ireland's European Championshp qualifying game in Armenia will be able to go ahead.

Sammy McIlroy's men are due to play in the capital Yerevan on Saturday 29 March but it could be called off because of the Iraq crisis.

Northern Ireland plan to take a party of 150 by chartered aircraft to the Armenian capital which is an hour's flights from Baghdad.

The IFA's general secretary said he expected the European governing body Uefa to take a lead in dealing with the matter.

He believed there were four of five matches in the general area which could be affected.

"It would depend on just how bad things were in that poor part of the world" David Bowen

"We will be in daily contact with Uefa and the Foreign Office but we are not encouraged by the overnight news and what might happen over the next few days," said Bowen.

"We hope all the authorities will be responsible and monitor this closely.

"It is an hour's flight from Yerevan to Baghdad so we will certainly be in the area.

"It is a worrying time. We are taking 150 people in that general direction."

Bowen said he expected a decision to be taken within the next four or five days.

"It would depend on just how bad things were in that poor part of the world," he said.

Four days after the scheduled game in Armenia, Northern Ireland are due to play Greece in Belfast in another European qualifier.