Muscat: The semifinal stage of the 14th Royal Court Affairs (RCA) football championship in Salalah kicked off on Wednesday evening, marking a new chapter of intense competition among the qualifying units.
Over the past week, the quarterfinals were held on December 3 to 7. The Royal Court Affairs Security Unit became the first team to advance after defeating the Directorate General of Information Technology and Communications 3–0, while the Royal Palaces Facilities team secured the second spot through a penalty shootout win over Razat Farm.
On Sunday, title holders Directorate General of Transport claimed their ticket to the semifinals following a penalty shootout victory against the Royal Cavalry. The fourth and final berth went to the Royal Gardens and Farms team after a 2–1 triumph over the Directorate General of Supply.
Thabit Ba Omar, Deputy Chairman of the main organising committee, highlighted the noticeable growth in the technical level of the tournament, noting improvements in administrative and technical performance across teams.
He pointed to recent amendments in the competition regulations, including the introduction of three team-ranking tiers and updates to player loan rules, which contributed to raising standards of professionalism and competitiveness.
Last year’s 13th edition crowned the Directorate General of Transport, securing their third title after previous wins in 2018 and 2017. The all-time honours list is jointly led by the Royal Cavalry and the Royal Court Affairs Security Unit, each with four titles, while the Royal Gardens and Farms team holds one championship from 2013.
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