Iraq's PMU militia wants its own soccer club
The Popular Mobilization Units, an Iraqi military organization, seek to enter the world of sports by establishing a club to compete in official soccer events.
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.
The Iraq Football Association said Oct. 9 it welcomes the idea of a PMU club and believes the addition will be a positive step for the Iraqi sports world.
The PMU contacted a number of athletes to begin developing the general framework for the club. These athletes include Younis Mahmoud, former captain of the Iraqi national soccer team, which brought Iraq its most impressive sports achievement: winning the Asian Cup in 2007.
