Latest news with #GulfCup
Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq's World Cup dreams: High stakes against South Korea
Shafaq News/ Iraq will host South Korea on Thursday night in a pivotal 2026 World Cup qualifier, with Basra International Stadium fully operational but fan turnout trailing expectations due to ticketing issues and Eid travel. The match, scheduled for 9:15 p.m. local time (6:15 a.m. GMT), is part of the ninth round in Asia's third qualifying stage and marks Basra's most significant sporting event since the 2023 Gulf Cup. Director of Basra Sports City Lutfi al-Jazaeri confirmed that upgrades to lighting, sound, and access systems had been completed. Additional parking for 8,000 vehicles was arranged near the venue. 'All components, from entrances to transport coordination, were finalized to ensure seamless movement,' al-Jazaeri stated, adding that the South Korean visitors expressed strong approval of the infrastructure and event planning. 'They viewed the complex as a modern facility and a reflection of Iraq's growing sports capabilities,' he said. Despite the preparations, only 40,000 tickets had been sold by Thursday afternoon. Organizers attributed the drop to a now-revoked policy bundling tickets with team shirts priced at 10,000 dinars ($7.5). 'The additional cost discouraged buyers. Even after removing the requirement, sales remained below expectations,' said Ghalib al-Zamili, a member of the organizing committee, also citing the Eid holiday, as many families are engaged in travel or celebrations.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Kuwait vs Palestine, FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Form guide, KUW v PLN head-to-head, live streaming info
Kuwait will host Palestine in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers match at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Thursday. For Kuwait, anything less than a win will end its hopes of advancing to the fourth round of the qualification. It doesn't help the home team that it is winless in the third round, over eight games. Meanwhile, Palestine comes in with wind under its wings, after beating Iraq in its previous game. When the two teams met, earlier in the third round, they produced an entertaining 2-2 draw, with Palestine finding the equaliser deep in injury time. Form Guide - Kuwait Lost to Oman 0-1 (March 25, 2025) - World Cup Qualifiers Drew with Iraq 2-2 (March 20, 2025) - World Cup Qualifiers Lost to Bahrain 0-1 (December 31, 2024) - Gulf Cup Drew with Qatar 1-1 (December 27, 2024) - Gulf Cup Beat UAE 2-1 (December 24, 2024) - Gulf Cup Form Guide - Palestine Beat Iraq 2-1 (March 25, 2025) - World Cup Qualifiers Lost to Jordan 1-3 (March 20, 2025) - World Cup Qualifiers Drew with South Korea 1-1 (November 19, 2024) - World Cup Qualifiers Lost to Oman 0-1 (November 14, 2024) - World Cup Qualifiers Drew with Kuwait 2-2 (November 19, 2024) - World Cup Qualifiers Head to head Matches Played - 11 Kuwait wins - 7 Draws - 3 Palestine wins - 1 When and where will Kuwait vs Palestine be played? The Kuwait vs Palestine match will be played at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Thursday. The game will kick-off at 11:45 PM IST. When to watch Kuwait vs Palestine? The Kuwait vs Palestine can be live streamed on the Fancode app/website.
Leaders
6 days ago
- Business
- Leaders
Preview: Saudi Arabia Clash with Bahrain in Pivotal World Cup Qualifier
Continuing their journey to the 2026 World Cup, Saudi Arabia resume their Asian qualifying campaign with a crucial match against Bahrain in Group C ninth round at the Bahrain National Stadium on Thursday. The Green Falcons must surpass second-placed Australia to secure a spot in next year's finals. With only two games left, the stakes are incredibly high for both teams. Bahrain, on the other hand, need points to finish within the top four. Saudi Arabia currently sit third in the group table, trailing Australia by three points. Australia occupy the second automatic World Cup spot, making this match pivotal. The team's recent inconsistency, with one win, three draws, and a defeat to Indonesia, has complicated their campaign. Recent Performances and Key Challenges Saudi Arabia's qualifying campaign has seen mixed results, yet they remain hopeful of securing direct qualification. They managed a goalless draw against group winners Japan in their last match, despite only one shot on target. Against their main rivals, Japan and Australia, Saudi Arabia held both to 0-0 draws, showcasing their defensive prowess. However, their poor away form continues to hinder progress, with just one win, two draws, and one defeat in four away games. At the Gulf Cup of Nations, Saudi Arabia reached the semi-finals but were knocked out by Oman, ending their trophy hopes. They are now in a tight race for the second automatic spot with Australia, who lead by three points. Strategic Preparations and Team News Herve Renard's men, who will soon participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, must beat Bahrain to keep pressure on Australia. Saudi Arabia have rallied after a slow start, taking four points from games against China and Japan in March. They warmed up for this month's matches with a 2-0 friendly win over Jordan. However, they lost 3-2 to Bahrain in the Gulf Cup after a goalless draw in last year's reverse fixture. Bahrain, despite never reaching the World Cup, still have a chance to break new ground. They can move onto another stage of AFC qualifying in October if they finish third or fourth. Despite sitting fifth, Bahrain trail Indonesia by three points before hosting Saudi Arabia and visiting China as they cannot afford another loss. Saudi Arabia boss Herve Renard has opted for a youthful squad, with Al-Hilal veteran Salem Al-Dawsari usually starting on the wing. Renard can call upon Ali Majrashi, who recovered from an adductor injury. Abdullah Mado has replaced Jehad Thakri, who sustained a hamstring injury. Muteb Al-Harbi and Mohammed Bakr have been training individually and may miss out, with an eye on next week's home clash with Australia. Dragan Talajic has kept faith with the experienced squad that secured Bahrain's Gulf Cup triumph. Top scorer Mohamed Marhoon is among the familiar faces set to start. Captain Kamil Al-Aswad, with 117 caps, should feature in central midfield, while Waleed Al Hayam helms the defense. Villarreal teenager Sayed Al-Wadaei has been called up but is likely bound for the bench. Possible Lineups and Historical Rivalry Bahrain: Lutfalla, Emmanuel, Benaddi, Al-Hayam, Al-Khalasi, Saeed, Al-Aswad, Madan, Marhoon, Al-Humaidan, and Abduljabbar. Saudi Arabia: Al-Aqidi, Abdulhamid, Lajami, Al-Tambakti, Boushal, Yahya, Al-Ghamdi, N. Al-Dawsari, S. Al-Dawsari, Al-Buraikan, and Al-Sahafi. Thursday's game marks the 40th meeting between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with the Green Falcons boast a significant advantage as they claimed 19 victories, compared to Bahrain's 8 wins, while 12 games ended in draws. Their earlier qualification encounter in the World Cup qualification back in October 2024 ended in a stalemate. However, Bahrain are undefeated in their last three games in this fixture and have lost just one of their last six. Saudi Arabia, the lowest-scoring side in Group C with four goals, are undefeated in their last three games. They head into the clash on a high, being the stronger side. Bahrain, however, are on a run of back-to-back defeats and are winless in their last seven qualifying games. They have the worst home record in Group C, with just two points from four games, and could struggle in this match. Short link : Post Views: 2
Observer
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman players fit and raring to go
MUSCAT, JUNE 1 As the crucial AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 26 are approaching, Oman team players are fully prepared and highly motivated ahead of their crucial clash against Jordan on Thursday at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. Sitting on ten points, Red Warriors are eyeing for a victory that would bring them level with their West Asian rivals keeping alive their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The players, under the guidance of head coach Rasheed Jaber, are fit, focused and raring to go as the intensity of the qualifiers reaches its peak. Coach Rasheed and his technical team have maintained a highly disciplined and focused atmosphere in training sessions, pushing the players to give their utmost in pursuit of a critical three points. The squad will enter this fixture on a high note following strong performances in their recent friendlies, including a 4-1 win over Niger and a 1-0 victory against Lebanon last week. The players are in good form physically and mentally following various warm up sessions in the last period. The coaching staff set a clear goal and the players will fight for it especially their recent positive momentum including their runner-up finish at the last Gulf Cup and registering positive results in the last two rounds of the Asian Qualifiers against South Korea and Kuwait. On the other side, Jordan team arrived in Muscat on Sunday night and are set to begin their warm-up sessions on Monday and Tuesday, ahead of their official training on Wednesday at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex venue which will host the tight encounter. Both teams are still in the race for qualification and they are targeting for a triumph. The stage is all set for a high-stake encounter that could shape the final standings in the group. Oman fans will be hoping the Red Warriors can deliver a memorable performance and edge closer to a historic World Cup berth.
Daily Tribune
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Squad Announced for Saudi Arabia Clash
TDT | Manama Bahrain's hopes of reaching their first-ever FIFA World Cup rest heavily on their upcoming qualifier against regional rivals Saudi Arabia on 5 June at the Bahrain National Stadium. Squad Announcement Dragan Talajić has named a 25-man squad packed with a mix of experience and youthful energy. Goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfallah and midfielders Mehdi AlHumaidan and AlSayyed Mahdi Baqer will be key figures, Vincent Emmanuel, a naturalized player who adds firepower up front. The full squad is as follows: Ebrahim Lutfallah AlSayyed Mohammed Jaafar Abdulkarim Fardan Waleed AlHayam Abdullah AlKhulaifi Ameen Bughammar Ahmed AlSherooqi Hussain Abdulkarim Hussain AlAker Haza'a Ali Hamad Shamsan Ali Haram Jassim AlShaikh Ismail Abdulatif Ahmed Bujammar AlSayyed Dia Saeed Mohammed AlRumaihi AlSayyed Mahdi Baqer Mahdi Abduljabbar Mehdi AlHumaidan Vincent Emmanuel Ebrahim AlKhattal Ali Madan Komail AlAswad Mohammed Marhoon Sayed Ahmed AlWaeli The Stakes The qualification race in Group C is tight. Japan sit comfortably at the top, already through to the World Cup with 20 points from eight matches. Australia hold second with 13 points, while Saudi Arabia are third with 10. Bahrain are fifth with six points, just behind Indonesia and ahead of bottom side China. Only the top two teams qualify automatically for the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year, while third and fourth place face additional playoff rounds. With little room for error, a win against Saudi Arabia on home soil is vital for Bahrain to keep their dream alive. A Rivalry to Watch The fixture reignites a passionate Gulf rivalry. Bahrain famously ended Saudi Arabia's 2010 World Cup hopes with a dramatic 2-2 draw in Riyadh, advancing on away goals. They also defeated the Saudis in the 2019 Gulf Cup final and again in the 2025 edition, showing they can punch above their weight against their neighbours. But Saudi Arabia, coming off a World Cup campaign where they stunned Argentina but ultimately knocked out in the group stages, remain a tough opponent. Bahrain know they will need their best performance yet to secure a win. What's Next? After the Saudi game, Bahrain travel to face China on 10 June in what will be their final qualifier. The result in Riffa could define their entire campaign — a win could spark a remarkable turnaround, while defeat would likely end their World Cup hopes. With the squad now named and the training camp underway, all eyes will be on Bahrain as they prepare for one of the most important matches in their footballing history.
