The trophy was lifted by the team from Arbil after defeating Basra 3-2.
The match was attended by the president of the National Olympic Committee of Iraq, Mr. Ahmed Al Samarai, and the deputy president of the Iraqi National Association, Mr Najih Hmoud Hraib, who handed the finalists their trophies and medals.
The FA lent its support to the project through training for Iraqi coaches and sharing knowledge to help the game’s ongoing development in the region.
Hussain Saeed, president of the Iraqi FA, said: “Football United created opportunities for hundreds of young Iraqis at a time when every glimmer of hope and aspiration is needed to rebuild our great nation. We thank Britain for its support of Iraqi football and we are proud to share a passion such as football between our two great nations.”
The English FA’s executive director, David Davis, said: “We will welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with various stakeholders in Iraqi football to build on the legacy of this project and contribute to a healthy future for Iraqi football.”
The initiative was established and funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office with support from the English and Iraqi FA’s and Danish retailers Bestseller ( the Jack&Jones brand).
Both the English and the Iraqi Football Associations are discussing long-term collaborations for the grassroots development of Iraqi football.
