La Liga opens office in Baghdad following agreement inked last year

BAGHDAD — Adnan Darjal, President of the Iraqi Football Association, announced Monday that Iraq welcomes the visit of La Liga President Javier Tebas to Baghdad. The visit marks the inauguration of La Liga’s new office in the city and Tebas’s attendance at the Iraqi El Clasico between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Zawra today.

“We welcome the visit of the President of the Spanish La Liga to Baghdad, which underscores the strong partnership with the federation and the pursuit of achieving significant milestones in our league,” Darjal said in a statement.

“Tebas’s visit to open La Liga’s office in Baghdad is considered a pioneering step that will bring numerous positive aspects to Iraqi football,” he added.

Darjal also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani “for his continued support of the federation’s efforts.”

Javier Tebas commented on the developments, noting that “Iraqi football is experiencing significant progress and has a bright future ahead.” He highlighted the presence of many talented players in the Iraqi league.

The Spanish delegation conducted several visits to inspect the stadiums and observe the clubs’ standards.

A three-season collaboration between the Spanish La Liga and the Iraqi Football Association aims to advance key aspects of development and professionalization within Iraqi football, providing long-term sustainability, both in terms of business and sports.

The agreement, signed on June 5, 2023, will unfold in three phases: assessment and training, action plan implementation, and follow-up monitoring.

The agreement also includes offering three full scholarships to young Iraqi talents for comprehensive sports and academic training at the La Liga Academy Madrid center of sporting excellence.

In April, La Liga officials, the Iraqi Embassy in Spain, and the Iraqi Football Federation met to discuss elements of the LALIGA project in Iraq during a conference in Madrid. During the conference, the attendees highlighted that the collaboration has already yielded “excellent results.”