Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Basra excited ahead of Arabian Gulf Cup tournament kickoff

Basra excited ahead of Arabian Gulf Cup tournament kickoff

The 25th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup football tournament starts in Iraq on Friday, the first time the country has hosted the tournament since 1979.

A few hours ahead of the opening match of the 25th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup in Iraq’s southern port city of Basra, thousands of Iraqis have already headed towards the city’s Basra International Stadium.

The opening matches of the football tournament are Iraq against Oman at 7pm local time (16:00 GMT), followed by Saudi Arabia against Yemen in the same stadium.

It is the second time Iraq is hosting the tournament, which has been held since 1970. Iraq’s record is strong – despite only participating for the first time in 1976, and being banned from the tournament from 1992 until the 2004 edition for political reasons, it has won the cup three times and finished as runners-up twice.

Iraqis have arrived from across the country, buoyed by the success of the World Cup in nearby Qatar, and by a rare sporting tournament being held in their country. Many wore clothes adorned with the Iraqi flag, and the slogan for the tournament: “Gulf25 is Basrawi”.

Ahmed Mustafa, a 28-year-old resident, is excited that the tournament is about to get under way, providing an opportunity for Iraq to shed the negative image often attached to it as a result of years of war and civil unrest.

“I am so happy that Iraq and my city Basra are going to host such a great sporting festival. It is a good opportunity to show that Iraq is peaceful, and that Iraqis are happy to meet people from other nationalities and let them enjoy their time in our city, to know our culture, customs and taste our food,” Mustafa told Al Jazeera.

“It’s not just about the football, it’s also good for tourism in the city and the whole country,” Mustafa added.

The tournament’s organisers have said that the city has finished all the necessary preparations, and is ready for the tournament to kick off later this evening.

Thousands of young Iraqis have also volunteered to help with the organisation.

“It is a historic moment for Basra city and its people, as they welcome people from the Arabian Gulf countries,” said Basra’s Governor Asaad al-Eidani on Thursday.

Eight regional countries will be participating in the tournament, which will end on January 19. Aside from Iraq, they are tournament holders Bahrain, as well as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Yemen.

The teams are split into two groups of four, with the top two sides from each group continuing to the semifinals.

The competition has attracted Iraqis from across the country to visit Basra.

Mahmoud al-Daraj came from Samarra, north of Baghdad.

“I came with four of my friends to attend all the matches,” the 24-year-old said. “I can’t describe how happy I am … What is nice is that we will get to see many famous Iraqi singers perform at the opening match in Basra International Stadium.

“As Iraqis, all we want is to be happy, and enjoy ourselves,” al-Daraj added. “It is a good chance to get to know the culture of a different city, and show the world that Iraqis are united, regardless of their differences.”

San Karwan came even further, from Sulaimaniyah, in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. It was his first time in southern Iraq.

“I’m very happy to attend [this tournament] in Basra, and I have felt safe and comfortable since I arrived yesterday,” Karwan said. “As Kurds, we have suffered for decades, but we’re happy that this Gulf tournament can take place on Iraqi soil in Basra.


Ahmed Mustafa is excited that the regional tournament is being held in his home city, Basra

“The Arabian Gulf Cup is important for all Iraqis, because one of the best ways of transmitting your culture and civilisation is through hosting tournaments and competitions, as we saw in Qatar’s organisation of the 2022 World Cup,” Karwan added.


Opening ceremony


According to the organisers, the opening ceremony will feature a show that reflects the heritage and history of Basra, and its relationship with the rest of the Gulf.

Iraq was well integrated with its neighbours until the country, then led by Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait in 1990. The Iraqi occupation of Kuwait ended in 1991 after the United States-led Gulf War, where Iraq was opposed by regional powerhouses such as Saudi Arabia.

The aftermath of the war led to the regional and international isolation of Iraq, which did not end until after Hussein’s overthrow by the US during the 2003 Iraq War.

Since then Iraq has suffered from sectarian civil war, political strife and violence and the rise of ISIL (ISIS), which for a time occupied large portions of the north and west of the country, almost reaching Baghdad at its height.

The Gulf Cup in Basra is therefore seen as an opportunity to showcase that Iraq has returned to the regional stage, and that things are improving, even as the country’s political turmoil rumbles on.

“This is the first big event [Iraq has hosted] for dozens of years, so this is a great experience, and what we have seen is that the locals are very happy and friendly, and they want to show their best to the world,” said Olga Laeva, a media operations manager with the Gulf Cup organising body.

“Both the Basra International Stadium and the al-Minaa Stadium [where some of the matches will take place] are ready and look good,” Laeva said.

College student Sajad Sabeeh is ready for the games on Friday evening.

“I’ve bought tickets for myself and for my family, there are no words to express how I feel and my happiness at seeing Iraqis and people from the Gulf from different backgrounds uniting together, singing, dancing and having fun,” the 21-year-old said.

While he complained about the high prices ticket touts were charging, Sabeeh said he ultimately felt that the tournament was a positive sign of Iraq’s re-emergence.

“I hope to see my country return to what it once was, a tourist destination for all Arabs and foreigners, even if the wars and insecurity isolated us.”


Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×