The first dedicated esports arena in Iraq was officially inaugurated today, Friday, in the province of Erbil, marking a significant step aimed at embracing youth talent and organizing international esports tournaments.
The President of the Iraqi Esports Federation, Haider Jafar, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that “Iraq has a large gaming community, with around 9 million gamers, including 40,000 professional players, while the number of daily active players reaches approximately 400,000.”
He added that “the opening of this arena represents a starting point for expanding the federation’s activities across all provinces through the organization of local and international tournaments,” noting that “the new facility is equipped with the latest global technologies and includes specialized coaches. The federation operates under the supervision of the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.”
Jafar also revealed the federation’s efforts to “host an international tournament this year, despite challenges related to limited funding for this emerging sports sector.”
On the other hand, the technical director of Real Madrid Academy in Erbil, Jassim Saleh, told INA that “the project is not limited to esports only, but also includes the launch of a sports academy for children aged 4 to 17,” confirming that “Erbil will serve as the main headquarters of the academy in Iraq, with 500 children already enrolled.”
Olympic Support and Youth Development
In a related context, the First Deputy President of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee, Bakhtiyar Fariq Rasul, affirmed that “the committee supports modern sports that attract millions of young people, including esports.”
Rasul emphasized the importance of “providing both financial and moral support for this sector,” praising the role of the Kurdistan Regional Government in supporting sports, while calling on other provinces to pay greater attention to youth activities aligned with global development trends.