MUSCAT: The Omantel Football League for the 2025/2026 season will kick off on August 16, with two opening matches. The first match will see Al Nahda host Samayel at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex, while Al Shabab face Ibri. The rest of the first round will unfold over four days. On August 17, Sur take on Al Nasr, and Oman Club meet Dhofar. On August 18, two more matches will be played: Saham vs Bahla and Al Rustaq vs Sohar. The round will conclude on August 19, with defending champions Al Seeb facing Al Khabourah at Seeb Stadium.
According to the announced schedule, the league will pause after the first round and resume on September 12. It will then pause again after the fourth round on September 27, with play resuming on October 20. The dates for the remaining seven rounds of the first stage have yet to be announced.
Among the changes this season, Al Shabab’s home matches will now be held at Seeb Stadium instead of Al Rustaq, while Ibri’s matches will be played at the Al Buraimi Complex instead of their main stadium in Ibri.
NEW REGULATIONS
The OFA has issued a new set of regulations for managing the Omantel League. These regulations require clubs to strictly adhere to the statutes of both the Oman Football Association and Fifa, especially concerning player eligibility, competition rules, and commercial and technical contracts. Clubs must also attend official meetings and events and comply with fair play regulations. The league will follow a home and away (two-round) format. At the end of the season, two teams will be relegated to the First Division League. As part of the fair play policy, clubs will face a fine of RO 100 for every four warning points accrued. Additionally, each club must register at least 16 players in the electronic system no later than 10 days before the start of the season. The Association clarified that registering a player does not automatically mean they are eligible to play; clubs are responsible for ensuring only eligible players participate, or face disciplinary sanctions.Only professional players are allowed to play, with a maximum of four foreign players per team, and signing a foreign goalkeeper is not permitted. Youth players born in 2009 and later, as well as those born in 2008, are allowed to participate provided they do not play two matches on consecutive days.
STRICT REQUIREMENTS & ACCESS RESTRICTIONS
The technical regulations require clubs to have a qualified technical staff, including a head coach with a Pro license from either the AFC or UEFA, an assistant coach with an A license, a goalkeeping coach with a C license, a certified fitness coach, a Ministry of Health approved team doctor, a certified physiotherapist and masseur, and a qualified translator. The team manager is not allowed to sit on the bench. Each club is allowed to add only two additional members to the official team roster through the electronic system. These individuals must obtain official ID badges, and unregistered board members are prohibited from entering locker rooms or the field. Any changes to the technical, administrative, or medical staff must be reported officially at least three business days before the next match.
GENEROUS PRIZE MONEY ANNOUNCED The Oman Football Association (OFA) has allocated a total of RO 130,000 prize money for the season as a way to honour the efforts of participating teams and encourage fair competition. The champion will receive RO 50,000, the championship shield, and 50 gold medals. The second place team will receive RO 30,000 and 50 silver medals, while the third place team will get RO 20,000 and 50 bronze medals. Financial rewards will also be given to teams finishing fourth through sixth: RO 15,000 for fourth, RO 10,000 for fifth, and RO 5,000 for sixth reflecting the association’s commitment to recognising strong performances across the standings.
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