Learn about the details of the international four-team tournament in Basra

Sports fans and the football community across the region are turning their eyes towards the city of Basra, which is preparing to host the anticipated football event. Under the supervision of the Iraqi Football Association, the matches of the international four-nation tournament will kick off, as part of the serious preparations for the upcoming Asian competitions. This tournament will serve as a real stage to test the teams' readiness and to try out new young faces eager to prove themselves in the jersey of the Black Falcons.

The Basra International Stadium will host all matches of the tournament, which will take place from November 9 to 17, 2026.

The tournament features the participation of four prominent national teams: Iraq, the host country, alongside Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine, which has officially joined as a replacement for the Philippines after they withdrew from the competition.

The tournament's organizing committee has adopted a flexible system to ensure high competitiveness while avoiding excessive physical strain on club players; matches will be held in a knockout format with two matches for each team.

The journey of the struggle in the semi-finals begins with a summit gathering the Lions of Mesopotamia with their Lebanese counterparts, while the Iranian team faces the Palestinian team. Following the results of these two matches, the outlines of the tournament's conclusion will be determined; the losers will meet in a decisive match to determine the third and fourth places, while fans await the date of the grand final that will bring together the winners of the semi-final matches to compete for the champion's title and crown the sole king of the tournament.

The organizing committee has mapped out the schedule for the matches with high precision as follows:

On Friday, November 13, 2026, the tournament opens with the anticipated opening match between Iraq and Lebanon at the Al-Nakhla Stadium at 6 PM Baghdad time.

On Saturday, November 14, 2026, the semi-final round continues with a match between the Iranian national team and their Palestinian counterparts at the same venue.

On Tuesday, November 17, 2026, the tournament will conclude with the decisive matches; the third and fourth place play-off will take place, followed immediately by the grand final to determine the champion of the current edition.

The upcoming fixtures hold significant importance and exceptional significance for Iraq's coach, Graham Arnold, as they represent a crucial opportunity to test new young faces and correct the team's technical course before entering the upcoming official commitments.