Players in action.

KUWAIT CITY, April 22: The quarterfinals of the Crown Prince Cup begin today with two highly anticipated matchups. At 5:30 pm, Al-Jahra faces Kuwait Club at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, followed by Kazma vs Khaitan at 8:45 pm at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium.

The action continues tomorrow with two more fixtures: Al-Arabi vs Al-Fahaheel and Al-Qadsia vs Al-Salmiya.

Kuwait Club, who advanced to the quarterfinals after a convincing 3-0 win over Al-Tadamon, will be looking to avoid any upsets against Al-Jahra, who stunned Kazma with a dramatic 4-2 comeback win in the preliminary round of the Amir Cup.

Currently leading the Zain Premier League with 51 points, just two ahead of title rivals Al-Arabi, Kuwait Club is competing on multiple fronts. The team is eager to bounce back from its recent 2-2 draw with Al-Fahaheel in the league’s championship group and continue its march toward the Cup title.

Meanwhile, Al-Jahra is riding a wave of momentum as it tops the Zain First Division League with 18 points, boosting its chances of Premier League promotion. After ousting Kazma from the Amir Cup, it also defeated Al-Jazeera SC 2-1 in the preliminary round of the Crown Prince Cup.

Historically, Kuwait Club has had the upper hand in recent meetings, winning both league matches last season (3-1 and 3-2). Their last Cup encounter dates back to the 2016–2017 semi-finals, when Kuwait Club won 5-0.

Kazma looks to rebound from a challenging season. Knocked out of the Amir Cup by Al-Jahra and currently battling in the relegation round, Kazma is aiming to restore pride and push for a Cup run. It reached the quarterfinals by defeating Al-Yarmouk 3-1 in the preliminaries.

Khaitan, on the other hand, is proving resilient. It edged out Al-Sulaibikhat on penalties (0-0, 4-1) in the preliminary round and advanced to the Amir Cup quarterfinals after a 2-1 win over Al-Shabab.

The two sides have already exchanged wins in the league this season—Kazma 2-0, Khaitan 1-0—and are set for another showdown. Notably, their last Crown Prince Cup clash came in the 2021–2022 preliminary round, where Khaitan triumphed 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.