Abdulnabi takes charge of Al-Arabi ahead of the Asian Challenge League

13/10/2026

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 13: Al-Arabi has appointed l coach Mohammed Abdulnabi to lead the team in the AFC Challenge League, with North Macedonian Gjorgji Natsimi named as his assistant, following the departure of Croatian coach Goran Sablic.

Sablic was dismissed after a disappointing start to the Zain Premier League campaign, with Al-Arabi failing to win any of their opening four matches, drawing three and losing one. The Green sits 10th in the standings alongside Sulaibikhat on four points. It was also eliminated from the AFC Champions League Two qualifying play-off after suffering a 4-1 defeat to India’s East Bengal.

Abdulnabi will now look to turn the team’s fortunes around and repay the board’s confidence in Group B of the AFC Challenge League, which runs from October 17 to 23 and is hosted by Tajikistan’s Istiklol Dushanbe. Syria’s Homs Al-Fida and Lebanon’s Al-Najma complete the group.

Al-Arabi begins its campaign against Homs Al-Fida next Saturday, faces Istiklol on October 20, and concludes its group-stage fixtures against Al-Najma on October 23.