Despite defeat to Qatar, joy prevails as Iraqis celebrate lifting of 3-decade FIFA ban

Iraq lost 3-2 to Qatar in a friendly international football match in Basra on Wednesday, as the home side's fans celebrated the lifting of FIFA's three-decade-long ban on their country holding international competitions.

Qatari striker Akram Afif netted a brace for the visitors, which was followed by another goal by Ismail Mohamed.

Despite the loss, the crowd of 65,000 cheered the Qatari team and gracefully accepted defeat with a standing ovation for the visitors as the game came to a close.

Football's international governing body lifted the ban last Friday, allowing Iraqi cities of Basra, Karbala and Erbil to host full international games and competitions for the first time since the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Even while the ban was in place, Iraq was still allowed, since 2017, to host friendly matches and tournaments - such as three- nation face-off between Iraq, Qatar and Syria slated to begin Wednesday evening.

Basra, Karbala and Irbil are considered the safest in Iraq. FIFA did not permit games to be held in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which still sees frequent militant attacks.

Iraq's minister of youth and sports, Abdul-Hussein Abtan, congratulated the Iraqi people on Monday, following FIFA's move, and said it would change how Iraq is viewed in the region and beyond.

Iraqi fans posted celebratory videos to the minister's Facebook page, praising FIFA's decision.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the lifting of the ban "was the result of stability, security and successes achieved by Iraq in all fields," according to a statement from his office on Friday.

FIFA's 1990 ban was temporarily lifted in 2011, but after a match between Iraq and Jordan was disrupted by a power outage, it was re-imposed.

FIFA's decision also follows Iraq's declaration of victory over the Islamic State group.

After more than three years of war against IS, Iraq - closely backed by a US-led coalition and with support from Iran - retook nearly all the territory the extremists once held in the country and declared victory over the group late last year.

Iraq hosted a successful friendly against Saudi Arabia in February which Iraq won four to one. Following the game, Saudi Arabia offered to build a football stadium in Baghdad with the capacity to seat more than 100,000 people.