20 clubs to take part in 55th HM Cup hockey

Ahmed al Kaabi
Muscat: The Oman Hockey Association celebrated the draw ceremony for the 55th edition of His Majesty the Sultan’s Cup for Hockey, held at the Sheraton Oman Hotel under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Malik bin Shihab al Said, with the presence of the Oman Hockey Association family and representatives of the participating clubs.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the audience watched a visual presentation that highlighted the achievements of the year, both locally and internationally, the most notable being the national team’s victory in the Asian Hockey Federation Cup on April 27, 2025.

This was followed by honouring the distinguished achievers in hockey for 2025 in recognition of their contributions and accomplishments. They included: Khalid al Shaibi, who surpassed the milestone of 100 international matches, Eng Thani al Wahaibi, who received certification as an international lecturer in the sport, and Mazin al Shukaili, who earned the international refereeing badge. Nawar al Jabri was recognised as the first Omani female umpire to officiate at the Asian level. Muhja al Numani, was honoured as the first Omani female judge at the Asian continental level while Amina al Jahafi, was celebrated as the first Omani female referee to participate in the AHF's referee promotion course.

The event began with a detailed presentation on the tournament’s system, followed by the guest of honour handing over the trophy to Mohsin bin Hani al Bahrani, Chairman of Al Amerat Club, in recognition of his club’s victory in the previous edition. The competition format was also presented electronically, with 20 clubs taking part this year. This edition marks the debut of Ibri Club and the return of Fanja Club after an absence of three decades.
According to the system, clubs are classified into two categories Elite Category: Ahli Sidab, Seeb, Al Amerat, and Salalah (these clubs qualify directly for the final stages). Challenge Category: The remaining clubs, divided into four groups.

The draw for the 55th edition of the competition was conducted, with the draw carried out by Asim al Maimani, former goalkeeper of the national team, and Ala al Balushi, captain of the women’s national hockey team, who participated in the Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024.
Group 1 features Sohar, Al Salam, Majees, and Saham, while Group 2 brings together Nizwa, Qurayat, Muscat, and Oman Club. In Group 3, the competition will see Fanja, Mirbat, Dhofar, and Al Ittihad battling it out. Meanwhile, Group 4 includes Al Rustaq, Al Nahda, Ibri, and Masirah, promising strong matchups across all groups.
In the preliminary rounds, Challenge Category clubs in each group compete in a single round-robin format. A playoff match will be held between the first and second of each group to determine the team that qualifies for the final stages. Matches will be played at the hockey fields of the sports complexes and at the Hockey Oman Stadium.

In the event of a club’s withdrawal after the match schedule has been issued, the technical committee has the right to make changes or adjustments to the competition system.
In the final stages, the Elite Category clubs and the qualifiers from the Challenge Category are divided into two groups, with clubs in each group competing in a single round-robin format. The first and second place from each group advance to the semifinals. The first of Group Five meets the second of Group Six, with the winner advancing to the final and the loser playing for third place. Similarly, the first of Group Six meets the second of Group Five, with the winner advancing to the final and the loser contesting the third-place playoff.