MUSCAT: The Oman Under-23 Olympic football team is undergoing their domestic preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 qualifiers, with the squad set to travel to Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday for a seven-day training external camp.
The camp, which is under the watchful eyes of experienced head coach Badar al Maimani and his technical staff, will aim to enhance the team’s physical readiness and technical sharpness ahead of their crucial continental assignment. The upcoming external camp in Bangkok will provide the players with an intensive programme combining tactical sessions, fitness development, and competitive training matches to ensure full readiness before the qualifiers.
Upon the conclusion of the Thailand camp, the team will head directly to Cambodia on August 28, where they will compete in Group F of the qualifiers. Oman will face three decisive matches in their quest to secure a spot at the finals of the Asian Cup, including the opening match against hosts Cambodia on September 3 while they will meet Iraq on September 6. They will conclude the matches against Pakistan on September 9. Only the group winners and the four best second-placed teams across all groups will progress to the finals in Saudi Arabia, joining the host nation.
The qualifiers represent the culmination of months of preparation for the Olympic squad, which recently participated in the four-nation international friendly tournament in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Oman finished as runners-up in that event, collecting four points from three matches, defeating Bahrain 1-0, drawing 1-1 with Kyrgyzstan, and falling 2-0 to eventual champions Syria. The Bishkek experience offered valuable international exposure and highlighted the team’s strengths and areas of improvement as they approach the qualifiers. Also, the Olympic team ended as runners up in the local tournament, which ended in Salalah last month, after they suffered a loss against Al Nahda in the final match on penalties.
The Thailand camp will be a key stage in Oman’s preparation road map, giving the coaching staff the opportunity to further build team chemistry, refine tactical approaches, and assess player performance ahead of the high-stakes competition. With a balanced squad of promising young talents and experienced names, Oman will enter the qualifiers with ambition and determination to secure qualification to the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, a tournament that will act as a pathway to the Olympic Games.
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