2014 Gulf Cup of Nations Moved to Saudi Arabia from Iraq

Iraq has lost the hosting rights to the Gulf Cup of Nations as a result of FIFA’s ban on Iraq hosting international matches. 

The football associations organising the tournament approved the decision unanimously, according to the Kuwait News Agency. The verdict follows the deadliest rise in violence in Iraq since 2008.

The eight-team tournament will now take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Iraqi officials are reported to believe the decision to move the tournament is politically motivated, after stating in January that new facilities in Basra were almost complete. Bahrain Football Association president Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, who chaired Tuesday’s meeting, said that Basra had been selected to host the 23rd Gulf Cup, though no indication of when this will take place has been given.

Iraq had also been due to hold the 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations, but this was later moved to Bahrain due to security concerns.