Gulf Cup of Nations postponed due to construction delays

The 2015 Gulf Cup of Nations - a football tournament for the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Iraq and Yemen - has been postponed by one year.

Kuwait requested that the 23rd Gulf Cup of Nations be postponed by one year as it was unable to complete the construction of stadiums in time for the start of the tournament.

Iraq originally planned to hold the tournament but it was later awarded to Kuwait following instability in the country.

Kuwait was due to host the Gulf Cup of Nations between 25 December 2015 and 7 January 2016.

There are a number of other difficulties that might have prevented the Gulf Cup taking place this year

The host of the 2010 tournament, Yemen, is embroiled in a civil war, while Iraq is fighting off a brutal insurgency by the Islamic State group.

Kuwait was targeted by extremists linked to the Islamic State group on 26 June, when a bomb ripped through a Shia mosque killing 27 people. Security has been stepped up across the Gulf in response to the threat of domestic terrorism.

Bidding for the 2016 Gulf Cup of Nations will take place at the end of the 2015.

Last year's winner, Qatar, is set to be the first Arab nation to host the World Cup in 2022.