Baghdad:Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has announced that Baghdad will host the 28th Arabian Gulf Cup in 2028. The announcement followed a meeting with Aqeel Muftan, President of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, and Younis Mahmoud, President of the Iraq Football Association.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the meeting addressed the current state of sports in Iraq, highlighting the importance of developing infrastructure and supporting clubs, federations, and sports teams. The Prime Minister emphasized the necessity of enhancing the standard of competitions and national teams.

The preparations for hosting the Arabian Gulf Cup will include upgrading sports facilities and completing unfinished stadiums, such as the Al-Tajiyat Stadium, which can accommodate over 60,000 spectators. The Prime Minister also instructed support for the national team and the Iraq Football Association to ensure the success of the Iraqi League.

Additionally, the Ministry of Finance has been directed to allocate funds for live television broadcasting rights to facilitate the league’s launch and operation. There are also plans to allocate land for the Iraq Football Association to build training facilities for youth and national teams.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister endorsed the ‘Olympic Champion’ project proposed by the Iraqi Olympic Committee, aimed at discovering and developing athletic talent to prepare champions capable of representing Iraq on international platforms.