LUKOIL recently hosted its fifth soccer tournament in the Eiz-Eldeen Saleem region of Southern Iraq.

Ramadan Beit-Mashaal, Eiz-Eldeen Saleem

The tournament involved over 50 local teams and one thousand young Iraqis from the villages and towns in the vicinity of West Qurna-2, the company’s major project in the region. The Al-Karama team beat AlSena’a in the tournament’s championship game with a score of 3-2, winning the contest for the fourth time. Al-Karama was cheered on by many fans, local officials, athletes and journalists who showed up to watch the match. The heads of the Eiz-Eldeen Saleem and Madina districts were spotted among the spectators.

In Iraq, where soccer is much more than just a sport, the annual tournament has become widely anticipated each year. “Our residents couldn’t wait until LUKOIL would make all the necessary preparations for the tournament,” said Mr. Emal Al-Assadi, Manager of the Eiz-Eldeen Saleem Youth Club. “We are grateful to the company for supporting our efforts among youth.”