Gulf Cup cleared as Bahrain eye title defence

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The 27th Arabian Gulf Cup will go ahead as planned, with no discussions over postponing the tournament, according to Gulf Cup Football Federation secretary-general Jassim Sultan Al Rumaihi.

The tournament is set to kick off in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on September 23, coinciding with the Kingdom’s National Day, and will run until October 6.

Al Rumaihi said preparations are progressing on schedule, with the federation working closely with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and the local organising committee to ensure the event is delivered successfully.

“We are moving according to the planned timeline to organise this major event, which means a lot to the people of the Gulf,” Al Rumaihi said.

“We hope everything goes as planned and that the upcoming edition will be an ideal tournament and better than previous editions.”

The confirmation comes as Bahrain prepare to defend their Gulf Cup title after being drawn into a competitive Group B alongside the UAE, Qatar and Yemen.

Hosts Saudi Arabia headline Group A, which also includes Iraq, Oman and Kuwait.

Bahrain lifted their second Gulf Cup trophy in the previous edition, held across December 2024 and January 2025, after defeating Oman 2-1 in the final. Their first title came in 2019.

The national team have already begun preparations for a demanding period ahead, with head coach Dragan Talajic overseeing the squad’s build-up for both the Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup 2027.

Following the regional tournament, Bahrain will turn their attention to the continental stage, with the AFC Asian Cup scheduled to take place across three Saudi cities from January 7 to February 5 next year.

The Bahrainis are among the 24 teams competing in the tournament and have been drawn in Group B alongside North Korea, Jordan and Uzbekistan.

Group A features Kuwait, Oman, Palestine and hosts Saudi Arabia, while Group C consists of Iran, Syria, Kyrgyzstan and China.

Group D includes Australia, Tajikistan, Iraq and Singapore, while Group E is made up of South Korea, the UAE, Vietnam and either Lebanon or Yemen.

Defending champions Qatar headline Group F alongside Japan, Thailand and Indonesia.