KUWAIT CITY, Dec 21, (KUNA): Football fans and enthusiasts from region and the world will set their gaze at the opening of 23rd Gulf Cup football tournament. The prestigious tournament, held until Jan 5, will see Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, and the UAE competing for the title. Kuwaiti fans, in particular, are ready to see their team compete again after lifting the FIFA ban.
The tournament, held under the auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, will have Kuwait and Saudi Arabia face-off at 05:30 pm local-time in first match of Group 1. The Saudi-Kuwaiti match will be followed by another encounter pitting the UAE against Oman. The Group 2 matches will kick start on Saturday with a match between Qatar and Yemen and another match between Bahrain and Iraq. Kuwait previously hosted the tournament in 1974, 1990, and 2003. The Kuwaiti team won 10 Gulf Cup titles since the tournament’s inception in 1970.