King Salman to Fund Development of New Football Stadium in Iraq

Riyadh - Saudi Arabia's King Salman has offered funding assistance to Iraq to build a new football stadium in the Land of 1001 Nights.

The offer came after King Salman conducted a telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi on Monday, March 5, 2018 evening local time. According to reports from the Office of the Prime Minister of Iraq as quoted from Gulf News (7/3/2018).

Nevertheless the Prime Minister's Office of Iraq did not give more details about the stadium's construction plans.

The plan came days after a friendly match between Iraq vs Saudi national football teams held in Basra on 28 February - the first title of the two countries since 40 years.

King Salman described the match - which was attended by 60,000 spectators and ended with a 4-1 score for Iraq's victory - as a 'successful' event. This was conveyed by the Office of the Prime Minister of Iraq.

Ahead of the FIFA Sanctions Revocation

In addition, the offer of aid is also made within days ahead of FIFA's decision-making regarding the fate of sanctions banning Iraq to host international competition - a sanction that is nearly three decades old.

FIFA will make a decision regarding it on March 16, 2018.

On the other hand, Head of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa who attended Iraq vs Saudi friendship in Basra - said, "It is time for the sanctions to be lifted."

Iraq has accepted the sanctions since 1990, following the invasion of Iraq's 1001 Nations to Kuwait that marked the Gulf War I turmoil.

The sanctions persisted in the mid-2000s, although Saddam Hussein's regime was successfully overthrown by the invasion of the United States and the West into Iraq during the Gulf War II.

In 2012, the sanctions were revoked. However, re-enacted after the government of the World of 1001 Malam did not successfully hold a friendly Iraq vs Jordan match - because the stadium in Arbil lights die in the middle of the game.

Improving Bilateral Relations?

In the call, King Salman and PM Haider Al Abadi also discussed various bilateral issues, such as ways to improve and strengthen cooperation between their countries.

The two also discussed issues surrounding the Saudi-Joint Co-ordination Coordination (a body set up in October 2017 to improve strategic relations and help rebuild the devastated areas after fighting against ISIS combatant combatants and the like in Iraqi cities).

The phone is the latest indication to improve relations between the two countries, which have been at loggerheads for decades, beginning with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

In terms of geo-politics, Saudi Arabia's goal to approach Baghdad is an option of an attempt to stem the growing influence of Iran in the Middle East region.