Players challenging for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, May 17: The semifinal matches of the 58th Kuwait Volleyball Federation Cup are scheduled to take place today at the Federation Hall in Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex.

The first clash kicks off at 5:00 PM, featuring Al-Shabab vs. Al-Qadsia, followed by Kuwait Club vs. Kazma at 7:00 pm. The winners will advance to the final, set to be played the day after tomorrow, while the losing teams will compete for third place.

Al-Qadsia reached the semifinals after a 3-1 victory over Al-Arabi in the quarterfinals (set scores: 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-17). With hopes of ending the season on a high note, they aim to claim their final title of the year. New Serbian head coach Sinisa Reljić, who recently replaced Bahraini Redha Ali during the Premier League semifinals, looks to start his tenure with silverware by leading the Yellows to victory.

Al-Shabab qualified with a convincing 3-0 win over Al-Nasr and is eager to continue their momentum into the final.

Kuwait Club, the reigning Super Cup and League champion under Brazilian coach Talmo Oliveira, advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 win over Burgan (sets: 27-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-17). With sights set on completing a historic treble, the Whites are considered strong contenders.

Kazma, led by Brazilian coach Caccarato, is looking to add another trophy after capturing the Federation Championship earlier this season. Kazma earned its semifinal spot by defeating Al-Sulaibikhat in straight sets.

The Kuwait Volleyball Federation Cup has been held 57 times before this season. Both Kuwait Club and Al-Qadsia have won the title 18 times each, followed by Kazma with 13, Al-Arabi with 7, and Al-Jahra and Al-Shabab with one title apiece.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff