Oman
Football Team Coach Highlights Readiness for Arabian Gulf Championship

Muscat,
31 Aug 2026 (ONA) — Tarik Sektioui, head coach of the Omani first national
football team, affirmed that preparations for the 27th Arabian Gulf
Cup, scheduled to be held in Jeddah next September, come within a work program
that extends beyond the limits of the tournament. He pointed out that the goal
is to build a national team capable of competing with and matching strong teams
in the continent.

Sektioui
explained during a press conference today that the technical staff attaches
great importance to physical and mental aspects alongside working to develop
technical aspects, noting that the current stage requires dealing with upcoming
commitments in a balanced manner while maintaining focus on age-group
categories, which represent a foundation for the development of Omani football.

He
indicated that the period he spent with the national team confirmed a great
desire among players to develop, with work proceeding according to a vision
extending over the short and long terms, and that he seeks to lay down clear
foundations that lead the team to the required level.

He
clarified that the beginning of his mission included holding a short training
camp aimed at getting to know the players closely, assessing their
capabilities, and understanding their mindsets and how they handle the
requirements of the current stage.

He
added that one of the primary goals is reaching a rhythm that enables the team
to keep pace with strong teams at the continental level, which requires
investing in current players and working to develop them physically and
mentally, in parallel with building a future base through attention to
age-group categories.

In
this context, he stressed the importance of having a specialized academy for
talent development, along with organizing a competitive league for age groups
extending throughout the season, allowing players greater opportunities for
development and sustained competition.

Regarding
the preparation program, he explained that the team underwent three training
camps; the first was short and focused on getting to know the players, while
the second camp was held in Indonesia and featured two friendly matches against
the national teams of Indonesia and Mozambique. The two trials constituted an
important opportunity to draw many lessons, and the technical staff currently
possesses a work roadmap for the coming days.

He
noted that the current group includes distinguished elements working
collectively, affirming that the technical staff and players seek to deal with
various difficulties and overcome them through joint work.

The
national team head coach affirmed that the ambition in the Gulf Cup is to
deliver a distinguished performance and present the team in a competitive
manner, explaining that thinking does not stop at the limits of the tournament,
but rather extends to upcoming commitments.

—Ends/AG