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Main Points
The 27th Arabian Gulf Cup is set to begin in Jeddah this Wednesday, with Group A emerging as a highly competitive bracket featuring four teams with a combined 19 tournament titles. The group includes Kuwait, which holds a record 10 titles, Iraq with four, Saudi Arabia with three, and Oman, which has won the championship twice.
Saudi Arabia, the host nation, enters the tournament under the guidance of Greek coach Georgios Donis. The team has undergone significant roster changes, with several prominent players, including Salem Al-Dawsari and Saud Abdulhamid, absent from the squad. Additionally, Musab Al-Juwayr was recently excluded from the training camp for disciplinary reasons and replaced by Mukhtar Ali. The Saudi team is seeking its first Gulf Cup title since 2003.
The Iraqi national team, led by Australian coach Graham Arnold, has stated its intention to compete for the title. The squad features a mix of professional and domestic players, including Ayman Hussein, Ali Al-Hamadi, and Zidane Iqbal. Iraq, the winner of the 25th Gulf Cup in 2023, will face Oman in the opening round of the tournament.
Kuwait, coached by Portuguese manager Helio Sousa, completed its final preparations with a training camp in Doha, Qatar. The team, which has not won the tournament since 2010, is looking to leverage a roster of experienced players, such as Yousef Nasser and Ahmad Al-Dhefeeri, to return to the final stages of the competition.
Oman enters the tournament following appearances in the finals of the previous two editions. The group stage schedule begins on Wednesday, September 23, with Oman facing Iraq, while Saudi Arabia plays Kuwait. Oman is scheduled to face Saudi Arabia on September 26 and Kuwait on September 29. Only two teams from the group will advance to the semi-finals.
