Game abandoned
62 injured in unrest at match between Newroz and Zakho as soccer federation condemns violence
SULAYMANIYAH — The Iraq Football Federation on Wednesday condemned the violence that disrupted Tuesday night’s Iraq Stars League match between Newroz and Zakho, held at Newroz Stadium in Sulaymaniyah. The game, which remained goalless, was abandoned after crowd unrest escalated into physical confrontations, resulting in multiple injuries and significant damage to stadium property.
In a statement, the Federation said, “What occurred during the match constitutes a clear violation of the sporting values and noble messages that the Federation seeks to uphold in stadiums.” It stressed that the strong public turnout and passion for football in Kurdistan Region stadiums in recent seasons represent a positive image of the league that must be preserved.
Tensions began building in the second half, with aggressive chants and provocations exchanged between fans. The situation escalated when objects were thrown from the stands, followed by spectators tearing out seats and hurling them across sections. Clashes broke out among supporters, and dozens stormed the pitch, forcing players and staff to retreat to the tunnels under security escort.
“We will deal firmly with any elements that intrude on stadiums and will take appropriate measures based on match supervisor reports to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future,” the statement continued.
It is presumed that the supervisor reports will help determine whether the match will be resumed at a later date or forfeited to one team or the other.
The Sulaymaniyah Health Directorate confirmed that 62 people were injured. “Twenty-five of the injured received necessary treatment at the scene from emergency response teams, 27 were transported by ambulance to the hospital, and 10 were taken to the hospital by family members,” the directorate said in a statement.
All of the injured have since been discharged, except for one person who remains hospitalized.
The Iraq Stars League is the country’s top-tier professional football competition.
