Iraq Considers Three Options Hosting Gulf Cup Championship

Iraq is actively moving to determine the city that will organize the events of the twenty-eighth Gulf Cup, following its acquisition of the right to organize the upcoming tournament within the meeting of the Arab Gulf Football Federation, with three main cities proposed for hosting including Baghdad, Basra, and Karbala. Iraq had previously succeeded in organizing the twenty-fifth edition in Basra with remarkable success and widespread praise. In a related context, the head of the Iraqi Football Association Younis Mahmoud was absent from the final of the previous tournament between Saudi Arabia and the UAE despite the official invitation, attributing this to his engagement in intensive government meetings to discuss preparations for Gulf Cup 28. Mahmoud is scheduled to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and the head of the Olympic Committee Aqeel Muften to discuss the arrangements for the event, amidst favoring Baghdad to host the competitions thanks to the presence of three nominated stadiums including the International City Stadium, Al-Zawraa Stadium, and the historic Al-Shaab International Stadium, whose opening dates back to 1966 with a capacity exceeding sixty-five thousand spectators, where preparations are underway to rehabilitate and restore it, so that actual preparations related to infrastructure, organizational, and logistical aspects of the tournament will begin after finalizing the city and facilities.