For Immediate Release
February 27, 2004

Iraqi Youth Play in Organized Soccer Leagues
Iraq Fact of the Day

More than 3,000 boys and young men, aged 13 to 23, helped inaugurate a local soccer league in southern Iraq recently.They will play among 180 teams to qualify for a championshp tournament later this spring. The league was made possible through the efforts of local Iraqis, the Polish Governance Support Team, and the Coalition Provisional Authority. Other leagues are being organized in cities throughout Iraq, including Diwaniyah, Najaf, Karbala, and Al Kut. A chance at organized soccer has exhilarated these young players and signifies a return to normal life for Iraqi families.

Source: Coalition Provisional Authority,Baghdad