The director of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City, Ali Al-Qarni, confirmed on Saturday the readiness of the stadium during the match between the Iraqi national team and their Omani counterpart, stressing that the grass was prepared according to the approved standards before the launch of the "Gulf 27" competitions.
Al-Qarni's statements came in response to the criticisms directed by Australian coach Graham Arnold, the technical director of the Iraqi national team, regarding the pitch after the match ended in a draw between the two teams.
Al-Qarni confirmed that the pitch of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium has received widespread praise for a long time, emphasizing that the assessment of its readiness is not based on personal judgments but rather on technical tests conducted by specialized committees before major tournaments and competitions.
He explained that the length of the grass in fields that comply with FIFA specifications ranges between 20 and 30 mm, noting that the grass at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium was cut to a height of 24 mm, which falls within the approved range.
Al-Qarni stressed that the preparation of the stadium was monitored by the management of the sports city and the organizing bodies of the tournament, in addition to the inspectors of the Gulf Football Federation, before passing all the required tests and criteria and approving its readiness to host the "Gulf 27" matches.
He pointed out that Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium had previously hosted many major matches and tournaments, confirming that efforts to maintain the readiness of its pitch will continue throughout the "Gulf 27" competitions.
Graham Arnold had criticized the pitch following Iraq's 1-1 draw with Oman in the first round of the tournament, pointing out that the length of the grass affected his team's performance, and he also mentioned that several of his players faced issues during the match.