His Majesty’s Football Cup draw revealed

MUSCAT: The official draw for the His Majesty’s Football Cup 2025/2026 took place on Sunday evening at the JW Marriott Muscat Conference Hall, under the auspices of Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, in the presence of club representatives, officials from the Oman Football Association ‘OFA’ and members of the media.
The ceremony marked the beginning of the country’s most prestigious football competition, setting the stage for intense rivalries and exciting encounters among Oman’s top clubs vying for the nation’s most coveted trophy.
The tournament will officially kick off this Thursday with the preliminary round matches, featuring the following fixtures: Nizwa vs Dhofar (winner to face Al Shabab) Al Mudhaibi vs Al Wuhda (winner to face Oman Club) Jaalan vs Salalah (winner to face Al Seeb) Samayil vs Muscat (winner to face Sohar) Ibri vs Sur (winner to face Bahla) Al Musannah vs Fanja (winner to face Al Nahdha) The preliminary round will be played in a knockout format consisting of a single match. In the event of a draw, extra time of 15 minutes per half will be played, followed if necessary by penalty shootouts to determine the winner.
The six winners from this round will advance to the Round of 16, joining the ten clubs that qualified directly: Oman, Al Seeb, Al Shabab, Al Khabourah, Sohar, Saham, Al Nahda, Bahla, Al Nasr and Al Rustaq.
The same knockout system will continue through to the final.

Following the draw, Jihad bin Abdullah al Shaikh, Chairman of Oman Club, commented: “The draw looks relatively balanced and all teams have equal opportunities to progress, our preparations are going well and we aim to perform at a level that reflects Oman Club’s proud history and ambition.” Said bin Ahmed al Rawas, Chairman of Dhofar Club, expressed optimism about his team’s readiness, saying: “The Cup has a special meaning for Dhofar fans, and we are determined to compete strongly for the title this year. The squad is well prepared and we have confidence in our technical staff and players.” Meanwhile, Ahmed al Owisi, Chairman of Al Shabab Club the reigning champions and Super Cup winners said: “Retaining the title will not be easy, but we’re fully motivated and ready to defend our crown the draw is fair and every match will require full focus and determination.” Former Oman national team player Ismail al Ajmi shared his perspective on the competition, stating: “I expect the winner to be one of the clubs that have lifted the Cup before, unless we see another surprise similar to Al Shabab’s triumph last season.” In his remarks, Saif al Jabri, OFA’s official spokesperson, announced the tournament’s financial rewards, revealing that clubs reaching the Round of 16 will each receive RO 3,000, quarterfinalists RO 6,000, and semifinalists RO 9,000. The champion will earn RO 80,000 from the OFA plus an additional RO 75,000 from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, bringing the total prize to RO 155,000.
Al Jabri emphasised that these incentives aim to encourage stronger competition and elevate the overall quality and professionalism of the Sultanate’s domestic football tournaments.