Tuesday 22 / September / 2026
MUSCAT: Oman football team coach Tarik Sektioui has warned his players to expect a demanding start to their Gulf Cup 27 campaign when they face Iraq in Jeddah on Wednesday, describing their group as the tournament’s toughest and stressing the need for a strong performance from the outset. The match kicks off at 6.30pm, Oman time
The Red Warriors meet Iraq at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in the opening Group A fixture, with hosts Saudi Arabia and Kuwait completing a highly competitive first day action. The top two teams will advance to the semi-finals of the eight-team tournament.
“We will play in a compact tournament that includes strong teams. We have a long-term vision to build a competitive team,” Sektioui said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
The Moroccan coach, who took charge of Oman earlier this year, replacing Carlos Queiroz of Portugal, said his technical staff had studied Iraq’s previous results but cautioned that past meetings would offer only limited guidance against a side that has undergone significant changes.
“We take the team’s previous results into consideration, and historically we have had our battles and campaigns in past tournaments, but the situation is different now, and we are in the process of building a new team in a smart and different way,” he said.
Sektioui also underlined the quality of the opposition.
“We will face Iraq, a developed team, which made a number of changes to the line-up that took part in the World Cup, and we will play in the strongest group in the tournament,” he said.
The opening clash carries added significance for Oman, who are seeking a third Gulf Cup crown after triumphs in 2009 and 2017. They have also been runners-up in the last two editions, losing the 2023 final to Iraq 3-2 after extra time before going down to Bahrain on penalties in the 2024 final.
Iraq, meanwhile, arrive as four-time champions, having lifted the trophy in 1979, 1984, 1988 and 2023. Their most recent triumph came against Oman in the dramatic 2023 final in Basra.
Iraq coach Graham Arnold admitted his side have had limited preparation time, saying they had only two days to work in Jeddah, but insisted his players were ready to compete.
“We have a mix of experienced and young players, and this gives us an extra dimension to produce big performances,” Arnold said. “We have new players, and this is the first time they will play in this tournament. We are focused on the future.”
Oman midfielder Ahmed Al Rawahi called for the team to harness the support of their travelling fans, while praising the facilities and hospitality in Saudi Arabia.
“Our fans have a special flavour in the Gulf tournaments, and we are working to make them happy and to compete strongly,” he said.
With both teams facing major changes and carrying ambitions of reaching the knockout stage, the opening encounter promises to be an immediate test of Sektioui’s new-look Oman side.
