Football in Iraq | |
---|---|
Country | Iraq |
Governing body | Iraq Football Association |
National team(s) | men's national team |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
The sport of football in the country of Iraq is run by the Iraq Football Association. [1] [2] The association administers the national football team as well as the Iraq Stars League. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Football is the most popular sport in Iraq. [8]
The national team have qualified for the final tournament of the World Cup once in 1986 which was held in Mexico. Success in the Asian Cup has been more widespread, winning the tournament in 2007 and finishing fourth in 1976 and 2015. As of 2015 the women's national team have not entered either of these competitions.
The under-23 side has had success at the Asian Games winning silver at the 2006 edition in Qatar and bronze in the 2014 tournament, held in South Korea. Their best placing in Olympic football has been fourth at Athens in 2004.
As of 11 June 2020 the men's team were ranked 70th in the world [9] while the women's team were not ranked due to being inactive. [10]
The Ministry of Youth and Sports developed plans to drastically improve sports infrastructure and have decided to build big stadiums in every governorate of Iraq. The government gave them a $2.5bn package for this cause, and plans have been drawn up to build most of the stadiums below. They have also used some of this budget to improve football on a local level in areas of the country. Most stadiums listed below have been funded by this package, unless they are one of the older stadiums, or the proposed Baghdad Sports City, which will be funded by the Saudi king, King Salman.
Major football stadiums in Iraq | |||||||
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Image | Stadium | Capacity | Location | ||||
Basra International Stadium | 65,000 | Basra | |||||
Al-Shaab Stadium | 35,700 | Baghdad | |||||
Al-Madina Stadium | 32,000 | Baghdad | |||||
Karbala International Stadium | 30,000 | Karbala | |||||
Al-Najaf International Stadium | 30,000 | Najaf | |||||
Franso Hariri Stadium | 25,000 | Erbil | |||||
Duhok Stadium | 20,000 | Duhok | |||||
Zakho International Stadium | 20,000 | Zakho, Duhok | |||||
Al-Kut Olympic Stadium | 20,000 | Kut, Wasit | |||||
Maysan Olympic Stadium | 20,000 | Amarah, Maysan | |||||
Kirkuk Olympic Stadium | 20,000 | Kirkuk |
Major future stadiums in Iraq | |||||||
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Image | Stadium | Capacity | Location | Stage | |||
Baghdad Sports City | 85,000 | Baghdad | Proposed | ||||
Tajiat Olympic Stadium | 60,000 | Baghdad | On hold | ||||
Ammo Baba International Stadium | 31,200 | Baghdad | Under Construction | ||||
Minaa Stadium | 30,000 | Basra | Under Construction | ||||
Al Sunbula Stadium | 30,000 | Al Diwaniyah, Al-Qadisiyyah | On hold | ||||
Salah Al Din Stadium | 30,000 | Tikrit, Saladin | Under Construction | ||||
Babil Stadium | 30,000 | Hillah, Babil | On hold | ||||
Al-Anbar Stadium | 30,000 | Ramadi, Al Anbar | Under Construction | ||||
Mosul International Stadium | 30,000 | Mosul, Nineveh | Under Construction | ||||
Diyala Stadium | 30,000 | Baqubah, Diyala | Under Construction | ||||
Nasiriyah Stadium | 30,000 | Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar | On hold | ||||
New Samawah Stadium | 25,000 | Samawah, Muthanna | Under Construction | ||||
Newroz International Stadium | 20,000 | Sulaymaniyah | Under Construction |
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