Next season,14 clubs to play in Omantel League
The Oman Football Association (OFA) has announced its decision to increase the number of clubs participating in the Omantel League from 12 to 14 teams, starting from the 2025–2026 season. This step aims to enhance the most prominent football competition in the Sultanate of Oman and open the door for more clubs to compete at the highest level, thereby contributing to the technical and organisational development of Omani football.
The Association also decided to organise the First Division League and the Olympic League at the governorate level, as part of a broader vision to promote sports decentralisation, expand the base of players and teams, and enable talents across various wilayats to emerge within a competitive environment closer to their local communities. The Association clarified that the decision to increase the number of clubs is the result of a series of urgent meetings and studies conducted by the Board of Directors. The findings indicated that increasing the number of teams would lead to more matches per season, thereby boosting fan attendance and creating more opportunities for competition and technical development for both clubs and players.
Based on this decision, the Association has resolved to retain Sur and Ibri clubs in the Omantel League for the upcoming season, despite their results warranting relegation to the First Division. However, their continuation is contingent upon meeting technical and administrative requirements, most importantly obtaining the professional league license issued by the Association after reviewing each club's licensing file. If one or both clubs fail to meet these conditions, the opportunity will be given to the highest-ranked teams in the First Division, provided they fulfill the same requirements. This decision came during a meeting of the Board of Directors held on Tuesday at the Association's headquarters, chaired by Sayyid Sulaiman bin Hamood al Busaidy Chairman of OFA, and attended by the vice-president, board members and the secretary-general. The meeting included discussions on several key matters, most notably the financial situation of the Association, reviewing the general budget, cost-reduction strategies and plans to increase revenue.
The Board also discussed activating the work of the standing committees and restructuring them in line with the upcoming phase's requirements. Several technical and administrative committee heads were approved and appointed.
The national senior team was also a focal point of the meeting. The Board reviewed the upcoming preparation plan, especially for the intercontinental play-off qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, and preparations for the West Asian Football Federation friendly tournament, which is considered a crucial opportunity for competition and readiness. Several internal and external training camps are also scheduled for the coming period.
To support the sustainability of football activity, the Board announced its intention to hold a series of meetings with clubs that had suspended their senior team activities in recent seasons. These meetings aim to explore ways to support and gradually reintegrate them, offering appropriate facilitations within available capacities, particularly on technical and organisational fronts. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board expressed its deep appreciation for the efforts of the previous board, commending their role in maintaining the Association's stability during challenging times. The Board affirmed its commitment to building on past achievements to ensure further progress in the future.
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