Kadim Al Saher, Rahma Riad headline Gulf Cup opening ceremony

 Kadim Al Saher, Rahma Riad headline Gulf Cup opening ceremony

Iraqi singers Kadim Al Saher (R) and Rahma Riad.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi singers Kadim Al Saher and Rahma Riad will perform during the opening ceremony of the 25th Gulf Cup which will be held in the city of Basra next Friday, according to a statement issued by the Iraq Football Association (IFA).

Al Saher was fiercely criticized after circulated news about his refusal to perform in the opening ceremony of the 25th Gulf Cup scheduled to start on January 6.

Al Saher did not confirm or deny his participation in the 25th Gulf Cup opening ceremony in Basra.

The 25th version of the Arabian Gulf Cup is scheduled to be held between January 6 and January 19, 2023, in the Al-Menaa Olympic Stadium and Basra International Stadium.

The tournament will be held with the participation of eight teams divided into two groups.

The first group includes Iraq, Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, while the second group includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.

The opening match will be between the national team of the hosting country, Iraq, and Oman at 6:45 p.m. local time in Basra International Stadium, and later on the same day, the national teams of Saudi Arabia and Yemen will play their match scheduled at 9:30 p.m.

The Arabian Gulf Cup was launched in 1970 and is organized every two years. The first edition was held in Bahrain in 1970 and the recent one in Qatar in 2019.