Oman to Face Iraq Tomorrow in
Opening Match of 27th Arabian Gulf Cup

Jeddah, 22 Sep 2026 (ONA) — Oman
football team will open its campaign in the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup tomorrow,
Wednesday, with a clash against Iraq in Group A, at the Prince Abdullah
Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium at exactly 6;30 pm Oman time.

In the group’s second match, Saudi
Arabia, the tournament hosts, meet Kuwait at 10 pm in at King Abdullah Sports
City Stadium, in the opening fixture of the competition.

The national team is well aware of
the importance of securing a positive result at the outset of its campaign,
given the fierce competition in the group and its ambition to continue the
journey and reach the semi-finals.

Oman Football team, runners-up in
the last two editions, is counting on a group of players in its squad, led by a
number of experienced figures headed by Harib Al-Saadi, Issam Al-Subhi,
Abdullah Fawaz, Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini, Jameel Al-Yahmadi and Khalid Al-Buraiki,
alongside a set of new players whom the technical staff seeks to give the
opportunity to prove their presence and add value to the team.

Tarik Sektioui, the national team’s
coach, affirmed during the press conference held today that the Omani team has
enjoyed a distinguished presence in the Arabian Gulf Cup, noting that the
players always rise to high levels and that the team is currently in a phase of
building a strong, competitive side.

He added that between eight and nine
new players have been called up across three training camps held by the team.
He hoped that the team would deliver a high level in this edition that delights
the Omani fans who love and adore football.

He explained that he had worked over
the past period on studying the aspects that affected the Omani team at various
levels, whether technical, mental or moral, alongside the physical dimension
and its development, given its role in helping the team go far in the
forthcoming assignments.

He expressed his regret over the
injuries sustained by some players during training sessions, affirming the
importance of all the players called up to the team and that every player
possesses characteristics and capabilities that can contribute the required
added value.

For his part, Ahmed Al-Rawahi, the
national team’s goalkeeper, expressed his thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
for the excellent organisation and the facilitations provided to ensure the
tournament’s success, noting that the competition in its current edition will
be distinguished and marked by considerable competitiveness and rivalry.

He added that the Omani fans are
always present with the team, and that their influence is powerful upon the
players and the team, affirming the pursuit of positive results and of
delighting the fans, as happened in previous tournaments.

He stated that the mental factor is
important for players, particularly in tournament formats such as the Arabian Gulf
Cup, noting that the national coach has worked on this aspect since the
beginning of his assumption of the team’s coaching duties.

— Ends/Khalid