Construction Begins on New Artificial Turf Football Stadium in Harir
Project funded by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s office reflects growing Ninth Cabinet focus on sports infrastructure and youth development
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Construction has officially begun on a new 11-player artificial turf football stadium in Harir (75 kilometers from Erbil) as part of ongoing efforts by the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ninth Cabinet to expand sports infrastructure and support youth activities across the Region.
According to a statement issued Friday by the Harir district administration, the project is being funded through the office of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani with a budget of 837.5 million Iraqi dinars.
The project is being implemented by JMT Company and includes the construction of a full-sized artificial turf football field designed for 11-player matches.
Local officials said the initiative aims to strengthen sports facilities in the district and provide modern infrastructure for youth and community sports activities.
The project comes amid broader efforts by the Ninth Cabinet to increase investment in:
- Sports infrastructure,
- Youth programs,
- Public recreational spaces and community development projects across the Kurdistan Region.
In recent years, Prime Minister Barzani has repeatedly emphasized the importance of sports as part of youth empowerment, social development, and Kurdistan’s international image.
Government support for sports gained additional international attention in December 2025 when supporters of Zakho SC won FIFA’s Best Fan Award 2025 following a humanitarian initiative in which thousands of toys were donated to sick children.
At the time, Barzani publicly congratulated Zakho supporters, describing the achievement as “a great win for sports and for sports fans across Kurdistan and Iraq.”
The Ninth Cabinet has increasingly linked sports development with:
- Youth engagement.
- Community identity.
- International visibility and broader modernization efforts across the Kurdistan Region.
Officials and local observers say projects such as the Harir stadium reflect a wider strategy aimed at expanding opportunities for young people while improving public infrastructure outside major urban centers.
The Kurdistan Region has in recent years witnessed growing investment in:
- Football stadiums.
- Sports complexes.
- Youth facilities and local club development, Football continues to remain the Region’s most popular sport.
According to the Harir district administration, work on the new stadium officially began on Saturday.