The Kuwait Football Association (KFA) board has resigned following a special meeting held on Saturday in response to the disorder witnessed during Kuwait’s World Cup 2026 qualifier against Iraq last Tuesday.
The decision came after the board reviewed the investigation report detailing the chaos during the match.
In its official statement, the KFA announced the resignation of the board and tasked the acting secretary-general with convening an extraordinary general assembly to elect a new board to complete the current term.
The KFA also accepted the resignation of the secretary-general and the head of public relations and media, assigning temporary replacements.
Following the match, the KFA formed a committee to investigate the “unacceptable” events and initially suspended its secretary-general and public relations director.
However, after facing widespread criticism from various sectors, the entire board eventually stepped down.
The KFA expressed deep regret for the incidents that marred the match, apologizing to the thousands of fans at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium for the difficulties they encountered.
The association faced heavy backlash over poor organization, including the lack of seat-numbered tickets and overcrowding, with some ticket holders denied entry due to fans without tickets entering the stadium.
The match was played under harsh conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40°C, and no drinking water was provided, leading to cases of fainting and distress among the crowd. Videos circulating on social media showed spectators pleading for water.
The stadium, which holds 60,000 spectators, was packed more than three hours before kickoff, with all tickets sold, including 5,000 allocated to Iraqi fans.
Despite being down to ten men after a red card in the seventh minute, Iraq managed to secure a 0-0 draw against Kuwait in the second round of Group B in the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup.
