Baghdad, March 01 (QNA) - After more than three decades of suffering, in which Iraqi fans did not see their country's national stadiums, FIFA agreed to lift the ban on Iraqi stadiums, a move long awaited by football fans.
Iraqi football fans are eager for the first official appearance of the Usood Al-Rafidain team on Baghdad's stadiums, decades after they were prevented from supporting their country's national team on official occasions due to the ban on international matches in Iraq.
Iraq has been almost completely denied international matches since 1990. FIFA partially lifted the ban in 2016 and allowed friendly matches to be held on Basrah, Erbil, and Karbala stadiums.
President of the Iraqi Football Association Adnan Dirjal confirmed FIFA's approval to hold the match between Iraq and the UAE at Al-Madina International Stadium in Baghdad as part of the Asian qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Dirjal said that FIFA's approval came after the efforts made by the federation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the positive moves and the resounding success in organizing international matches that were held in Baghdad in the recent period.
He indicated that the federation's success in obtaining the decision to lift the ban came with the direct support of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, in addition to the support and backing of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Arab Federation, the President of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), as well as the prominent role of the sport's fans which reflected the civilized image in the international friendly matches that were held in Basrah, Karbala, and Erbil.
He pointed out that the role of President of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Prince Ali bin Al Hussein to move the final of the West Asian Junior Championship and holding it in Al-Madina Stadium in Baghdad was the first step in the decision to lift the ban, followed by the approval of FIFA to hold the Uganda match in Baghdad, and within hours there was a positive sign on the approval of the FIFA to play the next match against the UAE in the AFC for the World Cup.
Dirjal revealed that there are no requirements by the FIFA regarding the upcoming Iraq match, and the decision came after FIFA was convinced of Iraqs ability to organize the match. He said their goal is to succeed in it to assure everyone that Iraq is capable of hosting international matches and that the return of matches to the capital, Baghdad, is a natural entitlement.
Dirjal said that they are about to do a great deal of work to change the work of the football federation system, and study the reality of football, adding that a number of personalities will be invited to discuss the strategy and work of the federation system before starting to implement it on the ground.
After the decision was announced, the Iraqi sports institutions went into full alert in order to create all the appropriate atmosphere for the success of the football match between the Iraqi team and its UAE counterpart at Al-Madina Stadium in Baghdad on Mar. 24 within the framework of the ninth round of the first group in the AFC for the World Cup.
First Vice President of the Iraqi Football Association Ali Jabbar said previous successes in international matches held in various Iraqi stadiums have contributed significantly to the decision to lift the international ban.
He added that this step is the beginning of working more seriously to advance the sports reality in Iraq, especially with prioritizing infrastructure for institutions concerned with youth and sports and accomplishing more sports achievements. He expressed his hope that Iraqi football will return to its natural position on the Arab, regional, and international levels. 

Spokesman for the Iraqi Football Association Ahmed Al-Moussawi revealed that the Football Association will address its Syrian counterpart in order to hold the last match of the Iraqi team with its Syrian counterpart in Baghdad instead of in the United Arab Emirates. 
Al-Moussawi, in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), attributed FIFA's decision to lift the ban on Iraqi stadiums to the fact that the International Football Association saw Iraq's success in hosting the West Asian Youth Football Championship, and then the Iraq-Uganda friendly match, which was also hosted by Baghdad. He added that the relevant committees submitted positive reports to the Association, in addition to the follow-up of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Football Association and the coordination with the International and Asian Federations, which resulted in the lifting of the ban on stadiums.
For his part, former Iraqi national team player Naeem Saddam, in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), described FIFA's decision to lift the ban on Iraq's stadiums as historic after many attempts and struggle for the Iraqi team's return to its stadiums and fans. He valued all the efforts that were made for the issuance of this decision. 
Player Naeem Saddam expected that this step will assist the Iraqi team during the coming period, especially in light of the fact that it will play on its land and among its fans, adding that the team will return to the top again because this step constitutes a great moral incentive for the players.
For his part, coach Radhi Shenaishil said that the decision to lift the ban on Iraqi stadiums came at a very appropriate time in order to compete for the third place in the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Shenaishil said, in a press statement, that the decision to lift the ban came in a good timing and in a period that is in the interest of the Iraqi team if they deal with it professionally. He added that the land and the public are two important cards that most teams rely on because of their great impact on raising the psychological factor, which reflects on the national team and the performance of players, especially since the UAE match is decisive, as the opposing team is the only one on the third card.
Shenaishil added that the Iraqi team has not won in 10 matches, and achieving a result against the Emirates will restore the confidence of the fans, stressing that the organization of the match should be at the highest level and make optimal use of the decision to lift the ban. (QNA)