Mosul man opens city’s first paintball arena after 12 years abroad

NINEVEH — After spending 12 years in Germany, Mosul native Mohammed Majid has returned home to launch a new kind of entertainment in the city: paintball. His 1,500-square-meter arena, built in Mosul’s forests over two months, is the first of its kind in the area and joins a small but growing number of venues in Karbala, Baghdad, and Anbar.

“The game is an American sport that started in 1981, and I used to play it weekly with my friends in Germany and enjoyed it very much throughout the 12 years I spent there,” Majid told 964media. “When I came back to Mosul, I thought of establishing it here because it was not available, and to give young people a new and different recreational space, away from the traditional cafés.”

Paintball is played between two teams of five to eight players, with rules that either eliminate a player once they are hit or award victory when a team captures a central flag and returns it. Players are equipped with protective clothing, and sports shoes are mandatory. “Any player who is hit leaves the field immediately,” Majid said.

The arena offers three packages: 100 shots for 15,000 dinars ($10.56), 200 shots for 25,000 dinars ($17.61), and 300 shots for 35,000 dinars ($24.65). The gelatin-based paintballs can travel up to 60 meters, dissolve in water, and are considered safe if fired from at least five meters away. Matches are overseen by referees from Majid’s staff, with advance bookings required. “Some young people from Baghdad contacted me to organize a tournament, and we will hold it soon,” he said.

Players say the game is both strategic and exhilarating. “The game is exciting and gives a feeling of strength, and it requires setting a team plan. It is necessary to follow the rules and the referee’s instructions, and most importantly, to wear sports shoes,” said Rafat al-Jader, one participant.