Amir Cup trophy.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 22: His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, will graciously sponsor and attend the 63rd edition final of His Highness’ Cup as Kuwait and Al-Arabi meet tonight at 6:45 PM at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. This match is the postponed final from last season.

The winner has the chance to equal Al-Qadsia’s record of 17 cup titles, with Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi currently holding 16 each. Kazma has lifted the trophy eight times, Salmiya and Yarmouk twice each, and Fahaheel once.

Last season, Al-Arabi was the only team to challenge Kuwait Club for official titles, but “the White” clinched both the Crown Prince Cup and the Zain Premier League, leaving Al-Arabi as runner-up. Al-Arabi, nicknamed “the Dean,” won the Super Cup against Al-Qadsia. The two teams previously met in the third round of this season’s Zain Premier League, ending in a 1-1 draw.

Kuwait Club began its cup campaign with a 3-0 win over Al-Jazeera, followed by 1-0 victories against Khaitan in the quarterfinals and Al-Qadsia in the semifinals.

Al-Arabi, meanwhile, faced tough battles, defeating Al-Sulaibikhat 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the preliminary round, narrowly overcoming Al-Jahra 2-1 in the quarterfinals, and edging past Salmiya 1-0 in the semifinals.

Al-Arabi coach Nasser Al-Shatti is seeking his first title with the team. He aims to prevent the Kuwait Club from achieving a perfect season while avenging last season’s defeat. Al-Arabi enters the final on the back of a 2-1 league win over traditional rival Al-Qadsia, marking Al-Shatti’s first victory after replacing former coach Marco Alves.

Montenegrin coach Nebojsa and Kuwait aim to continue their dominance, seeking another title and hoping to replicate the historic quadruple achieved in the 2015-2016 season. Kuwait Club currently leads the league by three points over Al-Arabi.

Key players to watch for Kuwait Club include international stars Youssef Nasser, Mohamed Daham, and Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, alongside foreign professionals Malick Zola (Congo), Yassine Kheneissi (Tunisia), Mehdi Barhamah (Morocco), Mohamed Marhoon (Bahrain), and Amr Abdel-Fattah (Egypt).

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff