“There will be two methods for the transportation of Gulf 25 fans, the first will be from within Basra province to the stadiums, and it will be for free,” Talib Baish, undersecretary for technical affairs at the Iraqi ministry of transport told state media, adding that the second method will be from other provinces to Basra at a discounted rate.
The official added that 50 buses have been allocated to transport fans within Basra to the stadiums, as well as three trains that will be accessible for fans who want to attend the Gulf Cup from other Iraqi provinces.
The city of Basra is set to host the 25th Gulf Cup from January 6 to January 19, 2023. The tournament was initially set to take place in December 2022, but was postponed as it was believed to be scheduled too close to the World Cup in Qatar.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday visited the city, reviewing the service situation in the province, including the preparations for the football tournament, and stressing the need to “spare no effort” in hosting the regional competition.
Basra had been selected to host three previous editions of the Gulf Cup since 2010 but the venue was changed each time due to concerns that Iraq was not safe enough. The only time Iraq hosted the Gulf Cup was in 1979, from which the Iraqi team emerged victorious.
The matches will be played in Basra International Stadium, which has a capacity of 65,000 people, as well as al-Minaa Stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000 people.
Head Coach Jesus Casas on Saturday announced Iraq’s 23-man squad for the upcoming eight-team tournament. The Iraqi national team is Casas’ first gig as senior head coach. He was previously a scout and match analyst at FC Barcelona, and an assistant to former Spain manager Luis Enrique from 2018 to 2022.
