Jeddah to host Gulf Cup 27 edition

MUSCAT: The Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation has announced the selection of the Saudi city of Jeddah to host the 27th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup, which will be held from September 23 to October 6, in a tournament expected to be one of the most professionally organised and exciting editions in the history of the competition.
In an official statement, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation confirmed that the tournament matches will be staged at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (Al Inma Stadium) as well as Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, two of the Kingdom’s most modern and prominent sports venues.
Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al Thani, President of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation, praised Saudi Arabia’s advanced organisational capabilities and infrastructure, stressing that these factors point to an exceptional edition worthy of the tournament’s long and prestigious history.
For his part, Yasser al Misehal, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, expressed the Kingdom’s pride in hosting the major Gulf event, noting that preparations are already underway to deliver a tournament that meets the aspirations of Gulf fans and stands as one of the best editions in the competition’s history.
Jeddah’s hosting of “Gulf Cup 27” marks the tournament’s return to Saudi Arabia after a ten-year absence, since the last edition hosted by the Kingdom in 2014. Saudi Arabia had previously hosted the Gulf Cup in 1972, 1988, and 2002, in addition to the 2014 edition.
In a related development, media reports from recent weeks have suggested the possible inclusion of Arab national teams from outside the Gulf Cooperation Council in the 2026 edition, aiming to raise the tournament’s technical level and commercial value. Countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Jordan have been mentioned. However, sources from Asharq Al Awsat newspaper denied these claims, clarifying that any potential expansion would be limited to youth competitions, not the senior national team tournament.
The official draw for the tournament is scheduled to take place in June, with host Saudi Arabia and defending champions Bahrain placed in Pot 1. Iraq and Qatar will be in Pot 2, the UAE and Oman in Pot 3, and Kuwait and Yemen in Pot 4, with the possibility of adjustments based on the Fifa rankings released in May.
The previous edition of the Gulf Cup, held in Kuwait, was won by Bahrain, who defeated Oman 2–1 in the final.