Kuwait's World Cup journey at stake in Oman encounter
KUWAIT CITY, March 23: Kuwait wrapped up its final training session at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in preparation for a must-win match against Oman on Tuesday, in the eighth round of Group B of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Blues are in a must-win scenario to keep their hopes alive for a third or fourth-place finish, which would secure a play-off spot in the qualifiers. A draw would extend Kuwait's chances to the final two rounds, while a loss would eliminate it from the race to qualify.
In Group B, South Korea leads with 15 points, while Iraq and Jordan share second place with 12 points each. Oman sits in fourth with 7 points, while Kuwait (5 points) is just ahead of Palestine (3 points) at the bottom of the standings.
The entire squad participated in the latest training session, giving all players an equal shot at making the starting lineup for the decisive match. The session was attended by Kuwait Football Federation officials, including Chairman Sheikh Ahmed Al-Yousef and board members Osama Hussein, Mubarak Abdulaziz, and Ayman Al-Husseini, who offered their full support to the players.
Kuwait's Argentine head coach Juan Pizzi, alongside assistant Ahmed Abdul Karim, has emphasized that form and fitness will determine the lineup, rather than reputation.
The Blues will be without striker Yousef Nasser and goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, forcing Pizzi to explore attacking alternatives. Salman Al-Awadhi and Fawaz Mbilish are among the top candidates to step in, while Kuwait may also shift tactics to rely on a false striker.
A Qatari officiating crew will oversee the match, led by referee Salman Falahi, assisted by Ramzan Al-Nuaimi and Majed Al-Shammari. Abdullah Al-Marri and Mohammed Ahmed will serve as VAR officials.
The Kuwait Football Association (KFA) has launched ticket sales for the high-stakes clash, urging fans to rally behind the team with the campaign "The Promise at Jaber Stadium." In a message to supporters, the KFA stated:
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