Al Iraqiya secures Arab Gulf Cup rights

Iraqi media network Al Iraqiya has secured the rights to broadcast the upcoming 25^th edition of the Arab Gulf Cup, in a deal brokered by IMG. 

Al Iraqiya will broadcast all fixtures live from the Khaleeji Zain 25 tournament, which is taking place between January 6-19 in Iraq, alongside highlight programming.

Featuring eight national teams from Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen, the biennial football tournament will be hosted in Basra, Iraq for the first time since 1979. Defending champions Bahrain previously defeated Saudi Arabia in 2019 to win their first title.

Last year, the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) launched a commercial partnership with IMG to market the media rights and sponsorship agreements for the next six Arab Gulf Cups from 2023 to 2031. This rights agreement follows the title sponsorship deal IMG secured for the tournament with Zain Group, which sees the upcoming 25^th edition known as the Khaleeji Zain 25.

Victor Blundell, SVP for Middle East and Eastern Europe, IMG Media, said: “The Arab Gulf Cup is the most prestigious football tournament in the region and we’re excited to partner with AGCFF to bring all the thrilling live action to fans in Iraq. This deal is another way we’re leveraging IMG’s local market experience and expertise to drive football’s growth in MENA.”