Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Manama: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa met with an official Iraqi delegation led by Sports Minister Abdulhuseein Aabtan, President of the Olympic Committee Raad Hammoudi and Iraqi Football Association President Abed-Alkhaliq Masoud, during their visit to Bahrain on Friday.
Shaikh Salman welcomed the delegation, hailing Iraq's current standing in Asia and the country’s efforts to provide the means for development.
The AFC President affirmed his full support for Iraq's request to end the ban on the playing of international matches in Iraq, adding that the AFC will work continuously with FIFA to find a solution to the issue as quickly as possible.
Shaikh Salman also expressed his satisfaction with the findings of a FIFA delegation which recently inspected stadiums in Iraq, saying that he hopes the visit will support Iraq's demands to play at home and in front of local fans.
The AFC President said that he will send a representative to Iraq to check on the needs of the Iraqi Football Association to host international matches, adding that the AFC can help train Iraqis so that they are able to assist in the hosting and organising of top level competitions.
The Iraqi delegation, meanwhile, thanked the AFC President for his continuous dialogue with the Asian football family, and hailed his determined efforts to grow and develop the AFC across all levels.