The club tournament has been dormant since 2015, citing sponsorship and logistical reasons.

The Gulf Club Champions League will be relaunched later this year after nine years, its organising body Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) said on Wednesday.

Al Arabi, the 2022/23 Emir Cup winners, will represent Qatar between October 23 this year to April 25 next year in a tournament likely to follow a home and away format.

Draw for the revamped competition will be held on September 23 in Doha and will include eight clubs.

Starting in 1982, the tournament was previously known as the GCC Club Cup and features clubs from the Gulf Cooperation Council nations.

UAE’s Al Nasr, Bahrain’s Al Riffa, Kuwait’s Al Qadisiyah, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittifaq, Yemen’s Al-Ahli Sanaa, Oman’s Dhofar Club, and Duhok SC of Iraq will contest in the next edition, the organisers added.

Qatar’s success in the tournament is limited to Al Sadd’s triumph in 1991 as the competition came back after a hiatus in 1990 due to the Gulf War.

That was followed by runner up finishes from Al Arabi, Qatar SC, and Al Khor with the latter missing out on the title in 2013.

The competition was last held in 2015 with UAE’s Al Shabab beating home side Al Seeb in penalties in Oman.

Even though the talks of organising its 31st edition in 2016 were held, it was ultimately discontinued citing a lack of funding and sponsorship.

The AGCFF’s Secretary General Jassim Al-Rumaihi has indicated that issue of funding has been solved, announcing increased prize money.

The winner of the 2024/25 edition will take home three million dollars and participating sides will get three hundred thousand each for preparations.

The AGCFF was formed in 2016 to revive the club tournament, however it has only been able to hold the biennial Arabian Gulf Cup for national teams.