Baghdad: The Kuwaiti soccer team arrived in Basra on Thursday pending a friendly match with the Iraqi team due on Friday, in preparation for the forthcoming 25th Arabian Gulf Cup tournament.

Iraq Football Association said in a statement the association member, Rahim Laftah, received the Kuwaiti players who arrived at their residence, a hotel in Basra.

The Kuwaiti team will play against Iraq at Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium that will host some of the matches of the Gulf championship.

Ahmad Al-Musawi, a member of the Iraqi association and head of the Gulf 25 media committee, told KUNA that the Kuwaiti players would depart Basra after tomorrow's match and would return on January 4, two days ahead of the scheduled the Gulf tournament kick-off.