MUSCAT: The draw for the 2026-27 His Majesty the Sultan’s Cup football championship was held on Tuesday evening at Zain Hall in the Omantel building, setting out the pathways to one of Oman’s most prestigious football trophies and giving clubs a first look at the challenges that await them in the knockout competition.
The draw ceremony was held under the auspices of Mohsin bin Hamad al Hadhrami, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, with participating clubs looking ahead to a new campaign in which ambitions will range from surviving the preliminary stage to reaching the final and lifting the coveted trophy.
The competition will follow a format in which a preliminary round precedes the Round of 16. Clubs entering the opening stage must win their respective knockout ties to secure a place among the teams advancing to the last 16, while a number of clubs have already earned direct qualification based on the competition regulations and their performances in the previous season.
SOHAR VS MUSCAT
Defending champions Al Nahda will begin their title defence in the Round of 16 against the winner of the preliminary-round tie between Samayil and Bidiyah. Al Nahda enter the new campaign with confidence after securing the Sultan’s Cup for the second time in their history last season.
The club defeated Oman Club 2-0 in last season’s final at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher in February, adding another major achievement to their record. Their latest triumph will raise expectations as they seek to retain the trophy against a field of clubs determined to end their reign.
Elsewhere in the draw, Seeb will face the winner of the preliminary-round encounter between Sohar and Muscat. Another pathway features Saham against the winner of the tie between Al Taliya and Al Khabourah, while Oman Club and Sur also feature in one of the Round of 16 paths.
Dhofar have been drawn against the winner of the Nizwa-Fanja tie, while Al Bahla will meet the winner of the Al Wahda-Majees encounter. Al Nasr will face the winner of another preliminary tie, while Al Shabab will take on the winner of the Al Suwaiq-Ibri match.
The preliminary round is expected to provide an early test of the competing clubs, with every match carrying the pressure of immediate elimination. For the teams entering at this stage, there will be little margin for error as they pursue the limited number of places available in the Round of 16.
For the directly qualified clubs, meanwhile, the draw offers additional time to prepare while they wait to discover their opponents. The contrasting routes are expected to add another layer of intrigue to a competition traditionally known for producing closely fought knockout encounters.
Al Nahda will carry the responsibility of defending their crown, while the rest of the field will be looking to seize their opportunity and challenge for the trophy.
With the draw now complete, attention turns to the opening fixtures and the beginning of another journey towards the HM Cup final, where one club will ultimately emerge as Oman’s champion for the 2026-27 season.
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