Jaber Stadium is ready to host the ‘Gulf 26’.

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 7: The draw for the upcoming "Gulf 26" tournament will take place on Saturday, at 7:00 pm at the Waldorf Astoria in the Avenues Mall. Kuwait is set to host this edition of the tournament from December 21 to January 3. This will be the fourth time the event is held under the Arabian Gulf Cup Federation, led by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Eight teams will compete: Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, and Iraq, with matches scheduled across Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, the new Sulaibikhat Stadium, and Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium.

The draw ceremony will be attended by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation, alongside federation officials, team delegations, and prominent Gulf football stars.

In a recent press release, the Gulf Federation announced that preparations in Kuwait are accelerating, with coordination meetings ongoing between the Gulf Cup Federation and the Supreme Organizing Committee. Additionally, tournament committees will convene on the sidelines of the draw to finalize their leadership roles, members, and work plans.

The Gulf Cup tournament will unfold in two stages: the group stage and the knockout stage leading to the final. The draw will allocate the eight teams into two groups, with Kuwait, as the host, and Iraq, the reigning champion, placed at the top of each group.

According to the tournament structure, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The first-place team from Group A will face the second-place team from Group B, and the first-place team from Group B will compete against the second-place team from Group A. The winners of the semi-final matches will then meet in the final, where the champion will be crowned.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff