Paulo Bento

DUBAI, Dec 17: The UAE national team began their training at the Police Officers Club Stadium in Dubai in preparation for the upcoming Khaleeji Zain 26. The team will travel to Kuwait tomorrow ahead of their first match against Qatar next Saturday in Group A, which also includes Kuwait and Oman.

Under the guidance of Portuguese coach Paulo Bento, the team’s daily sessions focus on both tactical and physical readiness, while also working to finalize the starting lineup. Bento is optimistic about the team's morale following their positive performances in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, as well as the players' strong form in their respective local and Asian league clubs.

Players from Shabab Al-Ahli—Hamad Al-Muqbali, Yahya Al-Ghassani, and Harb Abdullah—along with Al-Wasl’s Caio Canedo, Fabio De Lima, Tahnoon Al-Zaabi, and Faris Khalil, are expected to join the national team training following the league match between Shabab Al-Ahli and Al-Wasl, which took place yesterday in the tenth round of the league.

It is worth noting that Al-Wasl player Ali Saleh is absent from the national team’s Gulf Championship roster. Although he has been a regular in the lineup recently, Saleh missed the last two matches against Kyrgyzstan and Qatar due to injury.