Oman drawn with hosts Kuwait, UAE and Qatar at 26th Gulf Cup

MUSCAT: Two-time winners Oman are placed along with hosts Kuwait, Qatar and UAE in Group A for the 26th Gulf Cup from December 21, 2025 to January 3, 2025. Group B will comprise defending champions Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen. The draw of the tournament was held at Waldorf Astoria Kuwait on Saturday evening.

Oman, who also finished runners-up on three occasions, won their maiden title in Muscat in 2009 and then claimed their second crown in 2017-19 in Kuwait. The Red Warriors, under Omani coach Rashid Jaber, will now hope to repeat the title success in Kuwait.

In the 25th Gulf Cup held in Basra, hosts Iraq edged Oman 3-2 in extra-time last year to lift the coveted title symbolising regional football supremacy.

The tournament format puts the top two sides in each pool at the end of a single round-robin move into the semi-finals. In the semis, the winner of Group A will take on runners-up of Group B while the Group B winner meets the second-placed team of Group A. The winners of the respective matches then meet in the final.