Al-Qadsiya suffers from injuries before facing Khaitan.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 31: The ninth round of the Zain Premier League begins with a single matchup between Al-Qadsiya and Khaitan at 5:30 pm at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium.

Tomorrow, two games are scheduled: Al-Tadamon will face Kuwait at 5:30 p.m. at Al-Sadaka and Al-Salam Stadium, followed by Kazma hosting Al-Yarmouk at Abdullah Al-Khalifa Stadium at 7:50 pm. On Sunday, Al-Nasr will take on Al-Fahaheel at Abdullah Al-Khalifa Stadium at 6:50 pm. The round concludes next Wednesday with Al-Arabi playing Al-Salmiya at Thamer Stadium, as Al-Arabi has commitments in the Asian Challenge League.

In today’s match, Al-Qadsiya, currently fourth in the standings with 13 points, aims to keep up its winning momentum under Montenegrin coach Zeljko Petrovic, as they look to close the 11-point gap with league leader Kuwait Club. After a challenging start to the season, Al-Qadsiya is showing renewed form, coming off a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al-Fahaheel, marked by Eid Al-Rashidi's standout performance and Libyan striker Mohammed Soula’s decisive goal in the 91st minute.

However, Al-Qadsiya will be without Moroccan players Ismail Khafi and Ahmed Shabib due to injuries, while the participation of Bader Al-Mutawa, who missed the previous game, remains uncertain.

Khaitan, currently in eighth place with just five points, is hoping to secure its second win and move closer to safety in the league standings.

Following this round, the league will pause for 60 days as the Kuwaiti national team prepares for Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, with matches against South Korea and Jordan scheduled for November 14 and 19. Additionally, Kuwait will host the "Gulf 26" tournament from December 21 to January 3.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff