Iraq hoping for reprieve after Green Falcons friendly

LONDON: Iraq’s Sports and Youth Minister Abdulhussein Abttan hopes that tomorrow’s friendly against Saudi Arabia boosts the country’s case for a total lifting of FIFA’s ban on it hosting competitive matches.

Iraq have not played full internationals on home turf since the Gulf War in 1990. The ban, covering all but local matches, stayed in place after the US-led invasion of 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein. It was briefly lifted in 2012, but a power outage during an IraqJordan match in the Iraqi Kurdish capital Irbil led promptly reinstate it.

In December, Iraq declared victory over Daesh following a three-year battle, and football’s governing body finally relaxed the ban, allowing international friendlies at stadiums in Irbil, Basra and Karbala.

And with the visit of the Green Falcons to Basra tomorrow, it is hoped the match will illustrate that the country can once again play host to top-level international teams.

“Politics is present in every domain, and Saudi Arabia has major political weight,” Abttan FIFA to said. “I hope that this match will inspire other national teams to visit Iraq, which will help support our case for a total lifting of FIFA’s ban on matches in our stadiums.”

Iraq have invited FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, to visit the country but no decision has yet been taken on whether the trip will go ahead. FIFA is expected to make a decision on the matter next month.

In another bid to prove it can host international matches Iraq is hosting a four-country tournament in March in Karbala, although Kuwait have pulled out.

While Iraq hope tomorrow’s friendly helps their aim of playing top-level football on home soil more often, for Saudi Arabia it is a stepping stone on their way to what they hope is a successful World Cup campaign.

The Green Falcons are set to play in a series of high-profile friendlies as preparation for this summer’s showpiece in Russia. Following Wednsday’s muchanticipated clash against their Arab neighbors, Juan Antonio Pizzi’s men will face Ukraine, Belgium, Peru, Italy and Germany before their first Group A game against tournment hosts Russia in Moscow on June 14.