
Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi set for epic finale in Zain Premier League
KUWAIT CITY, May 10: The curtain falls tonight on the 63rd edition of the Zain Premier League, with Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium set to host the highly anticipated title-deciding clash between Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi at 8:20 pm in the final round of the championship group.
Earlier in the evening, Qadsia will face Al-Fahaheel at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium, and Salmiya will take on Al-Tadamon at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium. Both matches kick off at 5:40 pm. While Qadsia has already secured third place with 38 points, Salmiya (33 points) and Al-Fahaheel (32 points) are in contention for fourth place—a position that guarantees a spot in the Super Cup and possibly a berth in a foreign tournament. Al-Tadamon sits at the bottom with 20 points.
At the top of the table, Kuwait Club leads with 57 points, just ahead of Al-Arabi on 55 points. A draw or win will secure Kuwait Club's 20th league title and fourth consecutive championship. Meanwhile, Al-Arabi must win to clinch its 18th title—and only its second in the last 24 years, the last coming in the 2020–2021 season.
This will be the third meeting between the two sides this season. Kuwait Club won the first leg 2-0, while the second ended in a goalless draw. The two sides will face off again next week in the Crown Prince Cup final.
Kuwait Club enters the match with the league's most potent attack (65 goals) and strongest defense (14 goals conceded). Al-Arabi ranks second in both categories, with 44 goals scored and just 15 conceded.
In the league, Kazma and Al-Nasr secured their Premier League status through the relegation round, while Yarmouk and Khaitan were relegated to the First Division, known as the "Oppressors League."
Renowned Mexican referee César Ramos, an international official since 2014, will oversee tonight's decisive encounter. Ramos, born December 5, 1983, has officiated in the CONCACAF Champions League, the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, and notably the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup final between Real Madrid and Grêmio.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab Times
3 hours ago
- Arab Times
Al-Hilal land former Inter boss Inzaghi as new manager
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 5, (AP): Simone Inzaghi took over as head coach of Al-Hilal on Wednesday, a day after leaving Inter Milan and two weeks before the Saudi Arabian club's first game at the Club World Cup. Inzaghi signed a two-year deal after Al-Hilal lured him with an offer of reportedly more than 20 million euros ($23 million) per season. "The Italian genius is here,' the Saudi club said in a social media post. Inter was routed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final last Saturday, marking the most lopsided defeat in the 70-year history of major European finals. The 49-year-old Inzaghi coached Inter to the Serie A title last year and was also in charge when the Nerazzurri lost the 2023 Champions League title to Manchester City. He was at Inter for four years.


Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait's World Cup dreams are on the line against Palestine
KUWAIT CITY, June 4: Kuwait will raise the slogan of 'Victory Only' when it hosts Palestine at 9:15 pm at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, in the ninth round of Group B of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. While victory is essential, it won't be enough for Kuwait to maintain hopes of reaching the Asian play-off stage. The team must also defeat South Korea in the final round next Tuesday in Seoul, and hope Oman loses both of its remaining matches. Currently, Kuwait sits at the bottom of the group standings with 5 points, behind South Korea (16), Jordan (13), Iraq (12), Oman (10), and Palestine (6). Head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi has included 26 players in the squad for tonight's match. The roster features: Saud Al-Hoshan, Fahad Al-Hajri, Meshari Ghannam, Reda Hani, Ahmed Al-Zanki, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Mohammed Daham, Yousef Nasser, Khaled Al-Rashidi, Rashid Al-Dosari, Moaz Al-Dhafiri, Jassim Al-Matar, Mubarak Al-Fenini, Khaled Sabah, Suleiman Abdul-Ghafoor, Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi, Hassan Hamdan, Mohammed Khaled, Hussein Ashkanani, Yousef Majed, Hamad Harbi, Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi, Mahdi Dashti, Moaz Al-Asima, and Fawaz Ayed. Since taking charge last July, Pizzi has yet to register a win with Kuwait, having drawn five matches and lost three in the qualifiers. He hopes to secure his first victory tonight and keep his qualification hopes alive. He's also demanding full focus and discipline from the players, especially after increasing the intensity in recent training sessions and addressing past defensive errors. On the other side, Palestine, coached by Ihab Abu Jazar, is full of confidence after its surprise 2-1 comeback win over Iraq. Abu Jazar is aiming for his second win in the qualifiers. The team has been training in Doha since mid-May, and the coach will rely on key players, including: Uday Al-Dabbagh (Aberdeen) Wissam Abu Ali (Al-Ahly) Ahmed Al-Qaq (North Carolina) Mohammed Ahbous (Al-Ansar) Kuwait's final training session, scheduled at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium, was canceled due to a dust storm that raised health concerns for the players. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) appointed a Tajik refereeing team for tonight's match: Sadullo Gulmuradi (Referee) Hasan Karimov and Farkhad Karilov (Assistant referees) Abdul Davalitov (Fourth official) VAR officials: Mohammed Obaid and Yahya Al Mulla from the UAE By Khaled Al-Enezi


Arab Times
2 days ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait concludes preparations for must-win World Cup qualifier against Palestine
KUWAIT CITY, June 3: Kuwait concludes its training this evening at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, ahead of its crucial clash against Palestine tomorrow in the ninth round of Group B of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Kuwait began a training camp yesterday that will continue before traveling to Seoul this Friday to face South Korea in the tenth and final round of the qualifiers next Tuesday. Led by Argentine coach Juan Antonio Pizzi, the national team is determined to secure victories in both upcoming matches to keep its slim hopes of advancing to the playoffs alive. However, qualification is also dependent on Oman losing its two remaining matches, making Kuwait's path extremely difficult. Currently, Kuwait sits sixth and last in Group B with five points, while South Korea tops the table with 16, followed by Jordan (13), Iraq (12), Oman (10), and Palestine (6). Coach Pizzi has been steadily raising the intensity of training to bring players to peak performance levels. The technical staff has emphasized focus and minimizing errors while implementing some rotations due to recent changes in the squad compared to the lineup from last March's qualifiers. A pre-match press conference will be held today, today at noon at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, featuring the head coaches and a player from each team. The press conference will follow the technical coordination meeting scheduled for 11:00 AM at the same venue. The Kuwait Football Association began selling tickets for the match earlier this week and is urging fans to show up in large numbers. Fan support will be critical, as the team clings to a last chance at qualification, despite the difficulty of the task. Meanwhile, the Palestine national team held its second training session at Thamer Stadium, home of Al-Salmiya Club, and will conduct its final training tonight at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. The Palestinian delegation also honored striker Wissam Abu Ali for winning the Egyptian Premier League title with Al-Ahly, celebrating his achievement ahead of the pivotal qualifier.