Kuwaiti players hold their final training session before Oman match.

MUSCAT, Oct 9: Kuwait faces Oman this evening at 7:00 PM at the Sultan Qaboos Complex in Bousher, in the third round of Group Two action in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Kuwait currently sits in fourth place in the group with two points, trailing group leaders Jordan, South Korea, and Iraq by two points. Oman is in fifth and last place, yet to earn a point.

Led by Argentine coach Juan Antonio Pizzi and his assistant Ahmed Abdul Karim, Kuwait is aiming for its first win in the qualifiers to keep its hopes alive for World Cup qualification or, at the very least, secure a spot in the final qualifying round.

The top two teams from each of the three groups will qualify for the World Cup finals, while the third and fourth-placed teams will enter the final qualification stage. This will consist of two groups, where the group winners will qualify directly, and the runners-up will compete for a playoff spot. Kuwait's campaign began positively, securing a point away against Jordan, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup runner-up, and another point against Iraq, the 2023 Arabian Gulf Cup champion, on home soil.

The team has been in a 10-day training camp in Dubai, where the coaching staff focused on improving players' fitness levels and fine-tuning strategies. Pizzi and his team have worked to correct the mistakes made in the previous matches. The players understand the significance of a victory to remain in contention and aim to take advantage of Oman’s current situation.

Oman, like Kuwait, is eager for a win after losing both of their qualifiers—1-0 to Iraq and 3-1 to South Korea. These results led to the appointment of new coach Rashid Jaber, who replaced Czech coach Jaroslav Šilhavý, in charge since February. Oman's squad has been boosted by the return of key players Salah Al-Yahyaei and Mohsin Al-Ghassani for the final training sessions, while other changes have also been made to the roster.

The match will be officiated by an Australian refereeing team, with Alireza Faghani as the main referee, assisted by Anton Shchetinin and Ashley Beecham. Adam Kersey will be the fourth official, while the VAR system will be overseen by Catherine Margaret Jaswicz and Kearney Robinson.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff