SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The upcoming World Cup qualifier between Iraq and the United Arab Emirates that was scheduled to be held in Baghdad has been switched to Saudi Arabia, FIFA and the Asian confederation said on Saturday, days after a missile attack truck Erbil city.
FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation said in a statement on Saturday that the attack prompted the switch to Riyadh for Thursday’s game, The Associated Press reported.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched 12 missiles at what it described as “Israeli spy centers” in Erbil. The Kurdish government denied Iran’s claims, Tehran had targeted a civilian area.
One civilian was wounded in the attack.
“Following the latest incidents in Iraq as well as the broader shifts in global security in recent weeks, a reassessment of the safety and security situation in Iraq was performed jointly by FIFA and the AFC,” the statement said, according to AP.
“Based on the assessment and to ensure the highest standards of safety and security for all the stakeholders involved, it was decided that the match should be moved to a neutral venue.”
Iraq Football Association said last month that FIFA, which had banned the country for nearly 19 years from hosting international games due to security concerns, had given Baghdad the go-ahead to stage the crucial game.
Iraq has hosted just two World Cup qualifiers since 2003: against Jordan in Erbil in 2011 and Hong Kong in the southern city of Basra in 2019. All other competitive games involving the national team have taken place in neutral countries such as Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
