Iraqi Kurdistan secures Asia Cup archery tournament despite funding crisis

Shafaq News- Erbil

Al-Sulaymaniyah, in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, will host the Asia Cup archery tournament, a qualifying event for the Los Angeles Olympics, from October 24 to 30 after organizers overcame financial obstacles that had threatened the competition's staging.

Saad Al-Mashhadani, head of the Iraqi Archery Federation, told Shafaq News on Sunday that repeated efforts to secure funding from relevant authorities failed to produce results despite extensive outreach, putting the event at risk. "We did not give up and managed to find solutions that would ensure the tournament is held in Iraq," he added.

To reduce costs, the federation decided to invite only Asian countries capable of covering their own travel and accommodation expenses. Invitations will be sent starting Sunday, while participating federations have until the end of September to confirm attendance through an electronic registration system linked to the international governing body.

Al-Mashhadani also confirmed that Iraq has paid the required fees to have the competition recognized as a world-ranking event. The tournament will feature men's and women's events, as well as youth and senior categories, in both recurve and compound archery disciplines.

The funding difficulties come as Iraq enters its 16th consecutive month without an approved federal budget. More than 4,500 projects remain suspended nationwide, with oil revenues accounting for over 90% of state income.

Read more: Iraq’s oil bottleneck: Abundance trapped by dependency

According to the Eco Iraq Observatory, Iraq's fiscal deficit reached about 24.6 trillion Iraqi dinars (approximately $18.9 billion) by the end of October 2025, while 75% of public spending is allocated to salaries and services, placing growing pressure on long-term fiscal sustainability.

Read more: Iraq’s economic “perfect storm”: Experts warn the crisis is structural and social