BAGHDAD, July 6: An Iraqi newspaper reported on Monday that Qatar will send a First Division soccer team to Baghdad, breaking the Arab Cooperation Council ban on sports matches with Iraq, reports Reuter. .

Qatari officials were not Immediately available for comment.

The Baghdad Observer said Qatar will also help the Iraqi national team prepare for second round World Cup Asian qualifying matches by staging a training camp tn Doha.

It said the Qatari team Al-Wakra will arrive in Baghdad to play a series of friendly matches but did not say when they would take place.

World soccer's governing body FIFA last month partially lifted their ban on Iraq playing internationals at home.

FIFA said they had decided Iraq should be allowed to stage matches at home provided they were only friendlies, that they be played in the capital Baghdad, aqd that visiting teams were aware they travelled there at their own risk.