Gianni Infantino (53, Switzerland), president of the International Football Federation (FIFA), said, “Football is happiness, and it gives hope to many people and the whole country.”
Chairman Infantino attended the opening game of the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup 2023 between Iraq and Oman held at the Basra International Stadium in Iraq on the 7th 안전놀이터 (Korean time) and said, “Today’s full stadium and fantastic atmosphere in Basra prove this.”
Iraq has been suffering from a long war, but recently the situation has improved and recovery has been achieved, and the first international soccer tournament since 1979 was held in Iraq.
Chairman Infantino said, “I am happy to attend the opening ceremony of the Gulf Cup. I am happy that the soccer game will be held again in Iraq, a country that truly loves soccer.” “It shows that football truly unites the world, and FIFA will exist for that.”
The tournament, which first started in 1970, is participated by eight countries including Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Yemen. The four teams are divided into two groups, and after the group stage, the top two teams in each group play the semi-final tournament to determine the winner. The team with the most wins is Kuwait (10 times).