Land Plots and Diplomatic Passports: Iraq Rewards Its Lions of Mesopotamia After World Cup Qualification
The Council of Ministers has announced a package of directives and honorary measures in favor of the national team, in recognition of the historic achievement of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals.
In an official statement, the press office of the head of the Council of Ministers stressed that this initiative comes in appreciation of what the national team's players and the members of the technical and administrative staffs have accomplished, and in acknowledgment of the joy and pride they have brought to the hearts of the fans.
The package of decisions includes granting specially designed residential land plots to the players and staff members, in the Al-Rifail complex near Baghdad International Airport, with executive procedures to begin immediately.
The directives also include granting a diplomatic passport to all members of the national team, along with issuing a postage stamp to commemorate this achievement in the national memory.
On a symbolic and cultural level, it was decided to create a national mural or a commemorative monument on the Abu Nawas Corniche, bearing the players' names and the date of qualification, as well as to name one of the main streets in the capital Baghdad and the other provinces "Lions of Mesopotamia Street."
Among the initiatives is also the creation of a museum or a dedicated wing within the headquarters of the Iraqi Football Federation and the sports city, documenting the qualification journey, in addition to setting aside a part of it inside the museum of the Government Palace.
On the community level, the Council announced the naming of this year's graduating classes at universities and colleges the "Lions of Mesopotamia Class," a move that symbolizes national pride in the achievement.
A patriotic song will also be produced with the participation of a select group of artists, embodying this historic football event.
These decisions come as part of efforts to entrench a culture of recognizing sporting achievements and to strengthen the national spirit across the various segments of society.
