Kuwait football board quits after poor management during World Cup qualifier against Iraq

The association also accepted the resignation of its secretary-general, Salah al-Qanai, and public relations boss, Mohamed Bou Abbas.

Spectators gather outside Jaber al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City on September 10, 2024, before the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Kuwait and Iraq. | Photo Credit: AFP

The entire board of Kuwait’s football governing body has resigned after fans were left in sweltering temperatures for hours during a World Cup qualifier against Iraq.

Board members quit after an inquiry into ticketing and logistical problems that marred Tuesday’s match at the 60,000-capacity Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, the Kuwait Football Association said in a statement late Saturday.

“The board members of the Kuwait Football Association tendered resignations en masse,” Kuwait’s official KUNA news agency reported, citing the statement.

According to the association’s website, the board had seven members.

The association also accepted the resignation of its secretary-general, Salah al-Qanai, and public relations boss, Mohamed Bou Abbas.

They had been suspended since Wednesday over what the association called “unacceptable events”.

Fans fainted in temperatures of above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) as they pleaded with staff for water.

Some fans without tickets were meanwhile allowed in, while others who had purchased tickets were refused entry.