Oman National Team Set for Gulf Cup 27 Draw in Saudi Arabia

Jeddah:  Oman national football team awaits today the draw ceremony for the 27th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup football tournament “Gulf 27”, which will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 23 September to 6 October 2026.

The draw ceremony is scheduled to take place at 5 pm at the Culture Square in the Arts Center building of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, in the presence of Tariq Al Saktiwi, head coach of Oman national football team, officials from the Oman Football Association, representatives of the participating teams and a number of former Gulf football stars.

The tournament will be the fifth edition organized under the umbrella of the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation.

Matches will be hosted at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, with the participation of the national teams of Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen.

According to the latest FIFA rankings issued on 1 April 2026, Qatar and Iraq were placed in the first pot, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE were placed in the second pot. Oman and Bahrain were placed in the third pot, while Kuwait and Yemen were included in the fourth pot.

Under the approved draw system, the eight teams will be divided into two groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, with the winners advancing to the final match.

Saudi Arabia, as the tournament host, will head Group A, while the UAE will lead Group B according to the approved ranking system. Oman will avoid facing Bahrain in the group stage as both teams are placed in the same pot.

The Arabian Gulf Cup football tournament has enjoyed wide popularity across the Gulf region since its launch in Bahrain in 1970, reflecting its sporting and social significance in strengthening ties among GCC countries.

Saudi Arabia previously hosted the tournament in 1972, 1988, 2002 and 2014.