RCA Oman, MoCSY advance to final after penalty wins

Muscat: The semifinal matches of the Government Institutions Eight-a-side Football Championship 2026 organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) delivered decisive and highly competitive encounters, marked by intensity and excitement until the very last moments, with both games ultimately decided by penalty shoot-outs to determine the finalists.

In the first match, the Ministry of Education (A) and Royal Court Affairs played out a goalless draw in regulation time in a tactically disciplined and defensively cautious contest. The tie was eventually settled through penalties, where Royal Court Affairs secured qualification with a dramatic 12–11 victory after a long and thrilling shoot-out.

Both the semifinals were decided by penalty shoot-outs to determine the finalists.

The second encounter between the Diwan of Royal Court and the MoCSY also ended goalless in a balanced contest that featured strong physical and tactical battles. The match proceeded to penalties, where the MoCSY edged through 4–3 to book their place in the final.

With these results, Royal Court Affairs will face the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth in a highly anticipated final to determine this year’s champions, while the Ministry of Education (A) will meet the Royal Court Diwan in the third-place playoff.

Both matches are scheduled to take place on January 28, at the Al Amal Club grass pitch. The third-place match will kick off at 6:25 pm, followed by the final at 8 pm, as teams look to conclude a fiercely competitive edition of the tournament on a high note.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth beat Diwan of Royal Court 4-3 in penalties to enter the final.

Following the qualification, Majdi Shanshoon of RCA said his side had reached the final for the second consecutive year after a hard-fought and exciting semifinal. He noted that the achievement came as a result of the players’ determination and high level of focus, adding that the team aims to maintain the same performance in the final to secure victory and retain the title.

Meanwhile, Yousef al Hinai of the Ministry of Education stated that his team played a strong match against the defending champions, highlighting the physical battles and competitive spirit shown by both sides. He praised the overall organisation and technical level of the tournament, though he admitted that luck was not on their side in deciding the outcome.

For his part, Said al Maamari of the MoCSY expressed his happiness with the win and qualification, emphasising that the players gave their all throughout the match. He explained that the game was intense across both halves before being decided on penalties, and stressed that the team’s focus is now on continuing their momentum, winning the final and lifting the championship trophy.