War-torn nations have long prohibited from staging international football matches. Iraq had hoped that the Gulf Cup would improve its reputation, but it had already had to apologise for organisational mistakes.
A stampede that occurred outside an Iraqi football stadium hours before the Gulf Cup final on Thursday left one person dead and several others hurt, according to officials. War-torn Iraq had been banking on the Gulf Cup to improve its reputation but had already been forced to apologise for organisational mistakes. Iraq had been barred from holding international football matches. Since morning, thousands of spectators, many without tickets, had congregated outside the stadium in Basra, the country’s largest southern city, in anticipation of the final match between Iraq and Oman, which was scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm (16:00 GMT).
