Expanding from the battlefield to the soccer field, Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) plan to establish their own sports club to participate in local, Arab and regional tournaments.
The PMU, an umbrella organization comprising dozens of mostly Shiite militia groups, fought alongside Iraqi government forces against the Islamic State. It became involved in politics by backing some candidates in the May parliamentary elections as part of the Fatah Alliance. The PMU has close ties to Iran.