The Gulf Cup began with fanfare on Friday in Iraq’s southern city of Basra, sparking hopes of a bright future for the country’s embattled football prospects.
For Iraqis, hosting the biennial event will turn a new page in the troubled history of their country, boost relations with Gulf neighbours and represent a crucial move towards full national recovery.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani formally kicked off the tournament, hailing it as a “historic moment” which demonstrates “brotherhood among the Arab brothers in the Gulf”.
“Dear sport fans, thanks for your presence,” he said. “On your behalf and in the name of Iraq, we welcome the brothers, the visitors, the teams and the fans in the land in Iraq, the land of Mesopotamia and Basra.
“We wish all teams success and enjoyment to the fans.”
Mr Al Sudani was joined by Fifa President Gianni Infantino, Iraq's Speaker of Parliament Muhammad Al Halbousi and the heads of the Gulf football federations.
As the sun set over the port city, the mood in and around Basra International Stadium was festive and electric with anticipation.
By the afternoon, more than 10,000 foreign fans had arrived in the city, located a short distance from Iraq's borders with Kuwait and Iran, an official from Basra's provincial government said.
Thousands of people gathered at the stadium, known as the Trunk of the Palm, its design inspired by the southern city's palm trees. It was filled to its 65,000-person capacity with more soaking up the atmosphere outside.
Some fans pushed the guards back at one gate, breaking into the stadium perimeter, but no large disruption was caused.
As the ceremony began, poet Hazim Jabir, actress Enas Talib, actor Jawad Al Shakarchi and singer Hussam Alrassam took to the field, dressed in elaborate costumes in a performance that told the story of the city’s rich history and culture.
Once the ceremony wrapped up, the tone in the stadium shifted from excitement to intense focus as Iraq and Oman faced off in the first game of the tournament.
Travel to the stadium before the ceremony and opening matches snarled up traffic in the city. Others walked to the stadium, waving the Iraqi flag or wrapping it around their shoulders. Songs welcoming the participating teams blared from cars.
Those who couldn’t secure tickets packed the public square to see the opening ceremony on a big screen.
“Thank God the opening ceremony was very beautiful and well organised; I didn’t expect that, to be honest,” Ali Ibrahim told The National as he joined hundreds of fans in the city’s Tayaran Square.
Mr Ibrahim, 23, and his cousin were draped in the Iraqi flag.
“We are very proud of our Basra, which has become an international city now,” he said.
“It is really amazing to see the tournament eventually kicked off after waiting so many years,” Dhirgham Amir told The National.
Mr Amir, 20, came with his brother and sister to Al Tayaran Square.
“This will definitely change how Iraq looks like to the whole world as a dangerous place ravaged with terrorism,” he said, putting his nine-year old sister on his shoulders.
“A bright future mainly in sport is waiting Iraq,” he added.
The biennial Arabian Gulf Cup first took place in 1970. The last time it was held in Iraq was in 1979, when the hosts were crowned champions. Iraq also won in 1984 and 1988.
The event features teams from the Gulf Co-operation Council countries — Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and UAE — as well as Iraq and Yemen.
The most recent event was held in 2019 in Qatar and was won by Bahrain.
A bright future
“It is a step forward to retain Iraq’s normal position in the fields of sport, culture and society,” Basra Governor Asaad Al Eidani said before the start of the tournament. “It is a message to the whole world that we are capable.”
The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq echoed those sentiments.
“By hosting the cup, Iraq showcases the unifying power of sports and its ability to harbour peaceful and respectful competition. We wish Iraq and its people a successful tournament,” the agency wrote on Twitter.
The eight teams playing in the tournament are divided into two groups.
Group A consists of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen, while Group B features the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
The winners and runners-up of each group proceed to the semi-finals on January 16 — where the winners of Group A play the runners-up of Group B, and the Group B winners take on the runners-up from Group A.
On January 19, the winners of the semi-finals meet in the Gulf Cup final.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
DUBAI SEVENS 2018 DRAW
Gulf Men’s League
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Sports City Eagles
Pool B – Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers
Gulf Men’s Open
Pool A – Bahrain Firbolgs, Arabian Knights, Yalla Rugby, Muscat
Pool B – Amman Citadel, APB Dubai Sharks, Jebel Ali Dragons 2, Saudi Rugby
Pool C – Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2, Roberts Construction, Dubai Exiles 2
Pool D – Dubai Tigers, UAE Shaheen, Sharjah Wanderers, Amman Citadel 2
Gulf U19 Boys
Pool A – Deira International School, Dubai Hurricanes, British School Al Khubairat, Jumeirah English Speaking School B
Pool B – Dubai English Speaking College 2, Jumeirah College, Dubai College A, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2
Pool C – Bahrain Colts, Al Yasmina School, DESC, DC B
Pool D – Al Ain Amblers, Repton Royals, Dubai Exiles, Gems World Academy Dubai
Pool E – JESS A, Abu Dhabi Sharks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 1, EC
Gulf Women
Pool A – Kuwait Scorpions, Black Ruggers, Dubai Sports City Eagles, Dubai Hurricanes 2
Pool B – Emirates Firebirds, Sharjah Wanderers, RAK Rides, Beirut Aconites
Pool C – Dubai Hurricanes, Emirates Firebirds 2, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Transforma Panthers
Pool D – AUC Wolves, Dubai Hawks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers
Gulf U19 Girls
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, BSAK, DESC, Al Maha
Pool B – Arabian Knights, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
Bournemouth 0
Manchester United 2
Smalling (28'), Lukaku (70')
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Christopher%20McQuarrie%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tom%20Cruise%2C%20Hayley%20Atwell%2C%20Pom%20Klementieff%2C%20Simon%20Pegg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
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