Qatar and UAE’s rivalry on the pitch will unfold again later this year at the Arabian Gulf Cup, as confirmed by Sunday’s draw.
Qatar’s national football team has been drawn alongside UAE, Oman, and hosts Kuwait for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, which is set to take place in December.
The draw ceremony on Saturday in Kuwait City placed the reigning Asian champions – Qatar – in Group A of the tournament, with all eight members of the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation finding their rivals out.
Defending champions Iraq, meanwhile will join Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Yemen in Group B of the biennial tournament.
This year’s event is set to be held from December 21 to January 3, and has been titled Khaleeji Zain 26 due to sponsorship reasons.
Qatar will face the UAE on the opening day to kick off their quest for the fourth title, having previously won the competition in 1992, 2004, and 2014.
Bartolome ‘Tintin’ Marquez Lopez’s men will then face Oman on December 24 and Kuwait on December 27 at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.
Al Annabi have the upper hand against Kuwait and Oman in terms of recent records, having managed to beat both sides in the last three meetings.
A similar record against the UAE was shattered earlier in September, when the Emiratis shook off their poor recent record to salvage a 3-1 win in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
Before the clash, Qatar had managed to score four past the UAE on three consecutive occasions, including the 4-2 semi-final win at the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2019.
Kuwait and the UAE were also placed in the same group as Qatar in the 2023 edition. Qatar then secured a 2-0 victory over Kuwait and a 1-1 draw against the UAE, advancing to the semi-finals as the second-ranked team in Group B.
Competing without notable names in the squad after crashing out of the group stages of the World Cup at home, Al Annabi were then defeated by eventual champions Iraq in the semi-finals.
Hosts Kuwait are the most successful side in the tournament, having won the title 10 times, most of which came during their golden period from the 1970s to 1990s.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, will enter the tournament with the longest drought among the sides that have won the Gulf Cup so far, with their last win coming in 2003/04. Yemen is yet to clinch their maiden title.
