Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, welcomed FIFA's decision to lift the ban on hosting international football matches in the country's stadiums. According to Reuters, al-Abadi congratulated the people and sports community of Iraq in a statement, saying that the lifting of this ban is a result of 'security and stability' in the country. Gianni Infantino, FIFA's Secretary-General, announced the lifting of the ban on hosting international football matches in the stadiums of the three cities of Basra, Karbala, and Erbil during a meeting of the council in Bogotá on Friday, March 15. He told reporters, 'As far as FIFA is concerned, international matches will be allowed to be held in these three cities.' Over the past year, friendly matches have been held in these three cities as part of a pilot project. However, FIFA has not yet approved Iraq's request to host international matches in Baghdad, and Mr. Infantino stated that responding to this request requires further examination. The Asian Football Confederation also welcomed FIFA's decision on Saturday. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa stated in a statement, 'This is an important moment in shaping the future of football in Iraq.' Reuters adds that earlier this month, two matches of Iraqi clubs in the Asian club competitions were postponed in hopes of lifting this ban and potentially hosting them in Iraq. The Asian Football Confederation announced that these matches will be held in April in Iraqi cities. Since Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, hosting international competitions in Iraq has been banned, with FIFA citing security concerns as the reason. This ban remained in place after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which led to the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. The ban was lifted for a short period but was reinstated due to the onset of war with ISIS. The Iraqi national football team has so far held its home matches in Iran, Jordan, or Doha. However, Iraq has been allowed to host several international friendly matches in the country, one of which was a friendly match against Saudi Arabia held on February 28 in Basra. Iraq will host a friendly match involving the teams of Syria and Qatar in Basra on March 21.
Iraq Welcomes FIFA's Lifting of Ban on Football Matches in the Country
Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi welcomed FIFA's decision to lift the ban on international football matches in Iraq, citing improved security and stability. FIFA's Secretary-General Gianni Infantino announced that matches can be held in Basra, Karbala, and Erbil, but Baghdad's request is still under review. This development is significant as it marks a potential revival of international sports in Iraq after decades of restrictions.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
FIFA lifted the ban on hosting international football matches in Iraq, allowing matches in Basra, Karbala, and Erbil. This decision reflects improved security and stability in the country.
- International matches have not been held in Iraq since 1990 due to security concerns.
- Friendly matches have been successfully held in Iraq as part of a pilot project.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iraq has faced significant challenges in hosting international events since the Gulf War, primarily due to security concerns. The recent improvements in security have led to a gradual reopening of the country to international sports.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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