BAGHDAD, Sept 10 (Askume) – Thousands of Iraqi fans are expected to watch a World Cup qualifier in Kuwait on Tuesday, the first time they have been allowed to attend since former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded the emirate 34 years ago.
Iraqi buses arrived at the border to watch the game, scheduled for 7pm (1600 GMT), reflecting the gradually warming, albeit sensitive, relationship between the two countries two decades after the overthrow of Saddam in a US-led invasion in 2003. And the game’s arrangements have also attracted attention.
“I can’t describe how I feel,” said Abbas Abdelatif, a middle-aged Iraqi waiting for a bus in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, bordering Kuwait.
“I haven’t seen Kuwait in more than 30 years. There’s war and problems there, but now, God willing, things are getting better and better.”
The match will be played at the Jaber Ahmed International Stadium in Kuwait City, with Iraq leading Group B of the AFC 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Iraq has a population of 43 million, 10 times that of Kuwait, and has a long history of competition with this smaller, oil-rich country. The two countries are building competing port projects, but are also trying to achieve grid connectivity by the end of 2024.
After decades of conflict and frayed relations, Iraq is using football diplomacy to improve ties with the Arab Gulf state, which ended its latest war against Islamic State in late 2017.
Last year it hosted the Gulf Cup in Basra for the first time since 1979, marking a milestone in regional integration.
Iraqi Football Association spokesman Yusuf Farr said he hoped the Arab world’s biggest rivalry could remain on the field. “This is a sporting event and we should not bring politics into it.”
Difficult relationship
Saddam invaded Kuwait in August 1990 and briefly occupied the country before being ousted by a US-led coalition in the Gulf War. Since then, severe sanctions have been imposed on Iraq, requiring it to pay more than US$52 billion in war reparations to be completed by 2022.
Although relations have improved since Saddam Hussein was toppled from power in 2003, challenges remain. The growing goodwill suffered a setback last year when Iraq’s Supreme Court ruled that an agreement setting maritime boundaries with Kuwait was unconstitutional .
“Kuwait … wants to have good relations with its neighbors, especially Iraq, but Iraq has to show and verify that it has solved some problems, especially the maritime issue,” said Abdulaziz Alangeri, founder of the Reconnaissance Research Center, a Kuwaiti think tank. Good intentions.
It is also difficult to give up some old habits.
Iraqi Football Association president Adnan Dijal mistakenly referred to Kuwait as a province during an interview, repeating Saddam’s 1990 statement that Kuwait was Iraq’s 19th province.
Later he apologized.
Initial reports suggested that few or no Iraqi fans were allowed to attend, leading the governor of Basra to warn them that they would receive similar treatment in return.
The Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait later announced that 5,000 fans could attend with special passport and vehicle requirements.
“I think the important thing is that this sporting event is the beginning of opening the door to the topic of Kuwait-Iraq relations,” Angeli said. “It’s a good sign that our Iraqi brothers are interested in visiting Kuwait.”
Iraqi fans viewed the match as a friendly.
“I hope the new generation will end the legacy of the previous regime,” said Iraqi supporter Amir Hakim.
“The Iraqi people are not responsible for what happened to Saddam Hussein.”
