Thousands of football fans from around the Gulf attended the opening ceremony of the 25th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup in Basra on Friday. The last time Iraq hosted this tournament was in 1979 when it won the title.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani formally kicked off the tournament at the Basra International Stadium.
“We welcome the brothers, the visitors, the teams and the fans in Iraq, the land of Mesopotamia and Basra. It’s a historic moment which demonstrates brotherhood among the Arab brothers in the Gulf,” the PM said.
Attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the opening ceremony witnessed a musical segment and a firework show.
The ceremony started with a presentation of the eight partaking teams divided into two groups.
Iraqi singer Hussam Alrassam performed the opening song at the Basra Stadium before the start of the Iraq-Oman game. The match ended with a draw.
