A file photo of Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi players in action.

KUWAIT CITY, April 9: Kuwait Club is eyeing a historic seventh Volleyball Super Cup title as it faces Al-Arabi at 6:30 pm today at the Kuwait Volleyball Association Hall in the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex. The defending champion has already claimed six titles in the tournament’s history, including last season’s edition. Meanwhile, Al-Arabi is chasing its first-ever Super Cup crown.

Kuwait Club, also known as Al-Abyad, reached the final after defeating Kazma 3-1 in the semifinals. Al-Arabi, on the other hand, earned its spot by overcoming fierce rival Qadsia 3-2 in a thrilling five-set battle.

Led by Brazilian coach Oliveira, Kuwait Club is hoping to capitalize on the squad’s high morale and strong momentum. Oliveira is targeting his first title with the club, relying on solid defense, powerful blocking, and potent attacking plays from both the front and back lines. Key players include locals Abdullah Jassim, Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi, Amer Al-Saleem, and Abdulaziz Najm, along with Brazilian star Ferreira and Iranian standout Saber Kazemi.

Al-Arabi, guided by Tunisian coach Haitham Al-Hammadi, is determined to bring home the trophy for its passionate and title-hungry supporters. Al-Hammadi has had a clear impact on the team’s form and now looks to translate that success into silverware. He will count on effective hidden-area defense, a formidable blocking wall, and high-impact attacks. His key lineup features Mohammed Al-Suwaid, Abdulrazzaq Al-Loughani, and rising star Abdullah Fares, as well as professional players Santos (Dominican Republic) and Wenger (Czech Republic).

The Volleyball Super Cup has been held nine times before this season. Qadsia won the inaugural edition in 2014-2015, followed by Kazma in 2015-2016. Kuwait Club then dominated with five consecutive titles from 2016-2017 to 2021-2022 (note: the 2018-2019 season was not held). Kazma returned to win the 2022-2023 edition before Kuwait Club reclaimed the crown in 2023-2024.

In other volleyball news, the first round of the 2024-2025 Federation Cup kicks off today. Kazma will take on Yarmouk at 5:30 PM in the First Hall.

The Volleyball Federation’s Competitions Committee has also released the Premier League schedule. The season begins on April 13 and runs through May 12. The Golden Square stage is set from May 14 to 20, while the First Division League will run from April 14 to May 19.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff