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Wednesday, 15 July 2009 09:23 |
 KUALA LUMPUR: Football in war-torn Iraq got a shot in the arm when the AFC Executive Committee approved Arbil on Wednesday as the venue for international matches involving the Iraqi national and clubs teams.
Citing successful organisation of friendly games against Palestine recently as an example of a safe and secure Iraq, Iraq Football Association President Hussein Saeed (pictured) requested the committee to lift the sanction imposed on it from hosting the international games.
The committee members gave their green light to Arbil where 35,000 spectators thronged to the watch Iraq thrash Palestine 3-0 in a friendly last week.
The city will also host the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship Group C qualifiers, which will include Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, India, Afghanistan and hosts Iraq.
An ecstatic Saeed, who is also the AFC Executive Committee member, hailed the decision as ‘historic’ for Iraqi football.
“We are glad to be the first sports federation of Iraq to host official international matches of national teams at home after the war,” he told www.the-afc.com.
“We had asked for approval of Baghdad, Arbil and Sulaimanyia venues but AFC has only approved Arbil as a first step. We will continue to press for the approval of the remaining two cities,” he added.
“Football plays an important role in the lives of the Iraqi people and they are waiting anxiously to watch their national team play the official international matches at home.”
Over 50,000 fans crowded Baghdad’s Al Shaab Stadium when Iraq downed Palestine 4-0 in their second friendly on Monday.
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