In Pictures

In Pictures: 24th Arabian Gulf Cup kicks off to packed stadiums

Iraq beat hosts Qatar as regional football tournament gets under way in Doha’s Khalifa Stadium.

24th Arabian Gulf Cup [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera] — The football tournament's opening ceremony was held at the 40,000-capacity Khalifa International Stadium. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

The 24th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup has kicked off in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain were included late in the draw after reversing an earlier decision to boycott the football event over a more than two-year-old diplomatic dispute with the host nation.

The opening match on Tuesday saw Iraq defeating Qatar, who earlier this year were crowned champions of Asia, 2-1 at Khalifa Stadium.

Eight teams – Qatar, Iraq, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, and titleholders Oman – are participating in the regional event. The final will be held on December 8.

Qatar will also host FIFA‘s Club World Cup from December 11 to December 21, about three years before welcoming the top national teams for the World Cup 2022.