Gulf Football Cup.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 29: The Supreme Organizing Committee for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup Football Championship has scheduled the tournament draw for November 9. Kuwait will host the competition from December 21 to January 3.

The draw ceremony is expected to feature Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, President of the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation, along with federation officials, delegations from the eight participating teams, and prominent Gulf football stars.

In a press release, the Gulf Federation stated, "Preparations in Kuwait have accelerated for the tournament draw ceremony, with ongoing coordination meetings between the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation and the Supreme Organizing Committee. Tournament committees will also convene alongside the draw to finalize committee heads, members, and work plans for the next stage."

This 26th edition, the fourth under the leadership of Federation President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, will feature eight teams: Qatar, Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq.

The tournament format includes two stages: a group stage and a knockout stage. The draw will place the eight teams into two groups, with Kuwait as the host and Iraq, the defending champion, leading each group. The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, where the leader of Group 1 faces the runner-up of Group 2, and the leader of Group 2 meets the runner-up of Group 1. Winners of the semi-finals will then compete in the final to determine the champion.