August 9 – LaLiga and the Iraq Football Association (IFA) have begun activation of their three-year collaboration project via a series of workshops for IFA executives addressing key aspects in the development of Iraqi football.
The Iraq agreement is part of a wider LaLiga Grassroots Initiative, which spans 640 projects in 50 countries and has delivered training to more than 22,000 local coaches and 200,000 players.
LaLiga president and CEO Javier Tebas (pictured left) was present for the workshops as well as holding talks with Adnan Darjal, the president of the IFA, as well as with the 42 clubs comprising Iraq’s top club tiers.
“For LaLiga it is a great responsibility to accompany Iraq in this process of growth and professionalisation of football. We want Iraqi football to have a first-class organisational and training structure, because if this is achieved it will be good for the development of the country as a whole,” said Tebas.
Spain already has a strong link with Iraq with Jesus Casas, a Spanish coach, having been in charge of the Iraqi national side for nine months. He has already led Iraq to their first Arabian Gulf cup win in 35 years and is now looking ahead to 2026 World Cup qualification.
The agreement with LaLiga will also see the provision of three full scholarships for young Iraqi talents to receive comprehensive sporting and academic training at the LaLiga Academy Madrid centre of sporting excellence.
Adnan Darjal (pictured right), president of the Iraq Football Association said: “We are very excited about this agreement with LaLiga as it is a step forward in the professionalisation of football in Iraq and an opportunity to become a reference for the whole region at a grassroots level.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1734910305labto1734910305ofdlr1734910305owedi1734910305sni@o1734910305fni1734910305
