Players intensify training for the Gulf U-23 Championship.

DOHA, Nov 4: The draw for the Gulf U-23 Championship was held in Doha, Qatar, placing Kuwait in Group A alongside Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Group B will feature Iraq, the UAE, Oman, and Yemen.

The tournament will take place in Doha from December 4 to 16, with all eight Gulf nations participating. It is considered one of the region’s key youth competitions, providing an important platform to identify and nurture young talent before players progress to senior national teams.

The Kuwaiti Olympic team is aiming to deliver impressive performances and challenge for the title. This follows their AFC U-23 qualifiers campaign, where Kuwait narrowly missed out on qualification. The team finished second in Group B, which included Japan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan.

Japan secured a spot in the finals, scheduled in Saudi Arabia in January, topping the group with 9 points. Kuwait ended second with 4 points, but did not qualify among the best four second-placed teams. Afghanistan placed third with 3 points, while hosts Myanmar finished last with 1 point.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff