By Natalie Hartley
Thousands of fans went to the Basra International Stadium so that they could watch Iraq play Oman in the final of the Gulf Cup. This tournament is contested by Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Oman, and the UAE. It was the first time since 1979 that Iraq hosted the Gulf Cup. It was supposed to show a positive image of Iraq after several years of disputes.
A large crowd was seen hours before the match. Officials said that lots of those people were hoping, although they had no tickets, that they would be let in. A few videos were posted online that displayed ambulance staff attempting to resuscitate a man and many people lying motionless on the floor. The PM was said to have been keeping an eye on the situation. Several hours later, fans with tickets were let into the stadium and others were encouraged to leave.