Two people were killed and about 80 injured in the stampede on Thursday, Al Jazeera quoted the Iraqi interior ministry as saying.
The report added that there were more than 60,000 spectators outside the stadium.
Hosts Iraq are set to face Oman in the final of the eight-nation Persian Gulf Cup at 7 pm (16:00 GMT) on Thursday.
Thousands of fans without tickets had gathered outside the stadium since dawn in the hope of watching the rare home international match.
An AFP photographer inside the stadium said the turnstiles were still closed when the stampede broke out. Sirens blared as ambulances arrived to ferry the injured to the hospital.
Images posted on social media showed a sea of people outside the stadium.
The tournament started on January 6, with teams from the six Persian Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — as well as Yemen and Iraq. It’s the first time since 1979 that Iraq has hosted the tournament.
MNA/PR
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