The Football Association announces the cancellation of the Costa Rican friendly match 

Baghdad-INA 

The Football Association announced, today, Thursday, the cancellation of the national team's match with its Costa Rican counterpart, as a result of the latter party's refusal of all attempts to hold the match, and while it apologized to the Iraqi fans, it set instructions to return the ticket amounts.

The federation said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "It expresses its regret over the outcome of the events related to the match of our national team and its Costa Rican counterpart, which was scheduled to be held at the Basra International Stadium this afternoon, Thursday.".

The Federation indicated that "we have committed to all the terms of the contract concluded with the Costa Rican side, including providing the necessary facilities to secure the holding of the match and providing all the requirements for its holding, and all the organizational aspects of the match have been prepared," noting that "the Costa Rican side insisted in a strange and surprising way not to agree to enter the land of Basra by road." legal procedures and attempting to violate the border and enter without handing over any data to the Iraqi side.”.

He added, "The Costa Rican Federation then categorically refused to play the match despite the continued attempts, the direct intervention of the Prime Minister, the follow-up of the President of the Federation, the Governor of Basra and the Iraqi Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, and overcoming obstacles to holding the match and providing additional facilities to transport the Costa Rican delegation by air to Basra, but that All attempts were rejected.

Furthermore, the federation continued, "Based on the foregoing, the match was canceled as a result of the Costa Rican team's insistence not to play it, and the Iraqi Federation will take all legal measures that guarantee its right within the framework of the terms of the contract, which imposes the penalty clause on the party that violates the agreement.", Noting that "there will be specific instructions to return the amounts of tickets for the match between our national team and Costa Rica to the sports fans who acquired the entry card to the Palm Stadium in Basra Sports City, which will be announced later, noting the need to keep the entry ticket."