21 teams to compete in fifth edition of Oman Corporate League

MUSCAT, SEPT 23
The stage is set for 21 teams to compete at the highly anticipated fifth edition of 2025 Oman Corporate League (OCL). The action will kick off on Sunday to mark the continuation of one of Oman’s most prestigious corporate sporting competitions.
The official draw ceremony for both the OCL and the Expatriate Communities League took place on Wednesday under the auspices of Lujaina Mohsin Haider Darwish, Consul of South Africa in Muscat. The event was attended by senior officials, corporate representatives, sports figures and media, highlighting the growing importance of amateur football in Oman.
The participating teams in the OCL are divided into two main categories, with Category A designated for the elite teams vying for a place in the 2025 World Socca Championship. Group A comprised PDO 1, Nama, Marafiq and Sohar International. Group B was further subdivided into three pools including: Pool A featured Ooredoo, Oman LNG, MDO, Majid Al Futtaim and Daleel Petroleum while Pool B comprised Abraj Energy, OTE, Mazoon Dairy and Al Bustan Hotel. Pool C saw Voltamp Energy, BP Oman, Oman Arab Bank and MB Petroleum teams.
Meanwhile, six teams will contest the Expatriate Communities League, split into two groups. Group A featured Syria, Iran and Egypt, while Group B included Sudan, Morocco and Algeria.
EXPANDING AMATEUR FOOTBALL
Waleed bin Juma al Obidani, Chairman of Socca in the Middle East and Executive Director of Sports Makers in Oman, delivered a speech in the draw ceremony and he emphasised the company’s vision to promote amateur football. “Since 2017, we have been working hard to develop amateur football teams in Oman. The Socca tournaments for both corporate and expatriate communities provide a vital platform to strengthen the amateur sports sector at all levels, from workplace to grassroots,” he said.
He commented on the link between community-based tournaments and international recognition: “We are very proud that the World Socca Championship, which Oman successfully hosted last year, was inspired by the Socca Social Expatriate Community tournament,”he ended.
The draw ceremony also featured a documentary film revisiting memorable chapters from the World Socca Championship in Oman last year, underlining the tournament’s success and its positive impact on the local sports landscape. The evening concluded with the presentation of awards to Socca ambassadors and prominent sports personalities who have played key roles in promoting the sport.
Oman had made history in the Socca World Championship in the last edition as they beat Kazakhstan 2-1 in the final in a penalty shootout to secure the Socca World Cup 2024 title. Croatia team claimed the bronze medal after a 2-0 victory over Romania in the third-place playoff.