DOHA: The Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation has confirmed that the Iraqi city of Basra has been chosen to host the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup. The announcement was made following a meeting of the federation’s general assembly on Monday. The tournament had initially been scheduled to take place this year, but a final date has not been yet confirmed. It will be only the second time that Iraq has hosted the Gulf Cup since its inception 51 years ago, after holding the competition in the capital Baghdad in 1979. Expected to take part alongside the hosts will be current holder Bahrain, 10-time winners Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Yemen.