MUSCAT: The Oman Football Association (OFA) is gearing up to organise a four-team football tournament in Salalah, bringing together elite domestic and national teams in preparation for critical upcoming continental competitions. The tournament will feature: Oman Olympic U-23 team, Seeb Club reigning Omantel League champions, Al Shabab Club – His Majesty’s Cup 2024–25 title holders and Al Nahdha Club – runners-up of the 2024–25 Omantel League.
The event is scheduled to start on July 27. The purpose of this friendly competition is not only to offer high level match experience in a competitive environment but also to strategically blend national team players with their respective clubs, offering coaching staff valuable opportunities for assessment and preparation ahead of the significant events. This setup is particularly beneficial ahead of major international fixtures with players gaining exposure through tightly contested matches.
This initiative is part of OFA’s wider efforts to support Omani clubs that will represent the Sultanate of Oman in upcoming regional and continental tournaments. Seeb Club will participate in the AFC Champions League 2 beginning in mid-August while Al Shabab Club is set to compete in the AFC Challenge Cup. Al Nahdha Club will take part in the Gulf Champions League. By facilitating this preparatory tournament, OFA will ensure the Olympic team and the domestic clubs will have strong opposition and maintain high performance levels leading up to their respective competitions.
The Oman Olympic U-23 national team, led by coach Badar al Maimani, will also use the tournament to sharpen their skills ahead of their campaign in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers which is scheduled to take place during September 1 to 9. Oman is grouped with Iraq, Pakistan, and hosts Cambodia in Group F.
The Olympic team recently began a short domestic camp with 24 players and is set to participate in an international friendly tournament in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from July 17 to 23, alongside teams from Syria, Bahrain, and Kyrgyzstan. These steps are aimed at fine-tuning the squad ahead of the pivotal qualifiers.
Coach Badar and his technical team will emphasise on building tactical cohesion and developing match fitness to secure a top spot in the qualifiers. The top team in each group and the four best runners-up will qualify for the final tournament alongside host nation Saudi Arabia.
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