Alves gives instructions to the players with Hayel in attendance.

KUWAIT CITY, July 30: Kuwait’s Olympic football team is set to face Kazma in a friendly match today at 6:00 pm at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, as both sides continue their preparations for upcoming competitions.

Kazma is gearing up for the new Zain Premier League season, which kicks off on September 12. Meanwhile, the Olympic team is in the midst of its training program ahead of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Myanmar from September 1 to 9. Kuwait has been drawn into Group B alongside Japan, Afghanistan, and host Myanmar. The qualifiers serve as a pathway to the AFC U-23 Asian Cup finals, which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia in January 2026.

As part of its build-up, the Olympic squad will play a second friendly next week against Fahaheel before heading to Thailand in mid-August for a training camp that will finalize preparations for the qualifiers.

In a separate development, Al-Arabi   kicks off its overseas training camp in Abu Dhabi with a friendly match against UAE’s Hatta Club this evening at 6:00 pm.

The match forms part of Al-Arabi’s buildup for its crucial AFC Challenge League playoff match against Maziya S&RC of the Maldives, set to be played away on August 12. The Kuwaiti side is determined to progress to the group stage of the newly introduced competition.

Al-Arabi will also face Baniyas Club of the UAE in a second friendly on August 6 before traveling to the Maldives on August 8 to conclude their preparations.

The club has now completed its roster of foreign signings, which includes Congolese-Belgian forward Julien Ngoy, French-Guinean midfielder Hassimi Fadiga, Ugandan defender Kenneth Ssemakula, and Nigerian duo Anayo Iwuala and Christopher John.

Portuguese head coach Marco Alves is expected to use today’s match to assess his squad depth, with a particular focus on integrating the foreign players and gauging their match readiness. Additionally, playing in humid conditions is part of the team’s strategy to acclimatize ahead of the Maldives trip, where high humidity is a consistent environmental factor.

Assistant coach Ahmad Hael expressed satisfaction with the camp’s progress, noting that the players have shown strong commitment and are strictly adhering to the guidance of the coaching and administrative teams.

Hael emphasized that Al-Arabi’s ambition is not only to advance in the AFC Challenge League but also to compete for silverware across all domestic and regional competitions in the upcoming season.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff