2016 Gulf Cup of Nations
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Kuwait |
| Dates | February 2016 |
| Teams | 8 (from 1 confederation) |
The 2016 Gulf Cup of Nations will be the 23rd edition of the biennial football competition. It will be held in Kuwait, after Iraq withdrew from hosting.[1] It was scheduled to be held in Basra, Iraq, with an official decision set to be made in February 2015. On 2 February 2015, the Iraqi Ministry of Youth announced that Iraq would not host the competition due to a financial crises in Iraq, yet hope to host the next edition in 2018.[2][3]
It would have been the second time that Iraq had hosted this competition after 1979 which was held in the capital Baghdad. Iraq were set to organize the two previous editions in 2013 and 2014 but they shifted after concerns over preparations and security.[4]
Instead it will be the fourth time that Kuwait have been hosts, after editions in 1974, 1990 and 2003.
References
- ↑ "Kuwait set to replace Iraq as Gulf Cup hosts in 2016". QFA. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ↑ "Iraq named 2016 Gulf Cup hosts, final decision in three months". Qatar FA. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
- ↑ "Iraq officially suspends hosting Khaliji 23 Championship". Iraqi News.com. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- ↑ "Gulf Cup shifts from Iraq to Saudi Arabia". SFGate. Retrieved 8 October 2013.