Kuwait steps up preparations for the Thailand friendly

Players training for the friendly.

KUWAIT CITY, June 2: Kuwait continues its intensive training camp in Bangkok as it prepares for a friendly match against Thailand, scheduled for the day after tomorrow, as part of its build-up for upcoming regional and continental competitions.

The friendly is part of “Al-Azraq’s” broader preparation program for key assignments over the coming months, which begins with the Arabian Gulf Cup (Gulf 27) in Saudi Arabia next October, followed by the West Asian Championship in Oman in November, and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, starting January 7.

The team is set to hold its penultimate training session today, with the technical staff focusing on improving both physical fitness and tactical sharpness. The camp has also been affected by minor injuries sustained by several players during the latest round of the Zain Premier League.

The medical staff is working closely to ensure full recovery ahead of the match, while also managing the impact of the four-hour time difference between Kuwait and Thailand, which requires specific adaptation programs to maintain players’ physical readiness.

The Thai Football Association has scheduled the match for 4:30 p.m. Kuwait time at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok. The encounter is viewed as an important test before the team enters its final preparation phase for upcoming competitions.

Head coach Helio Sousa has named a 26-player squad for the camp during the June international window.

The selection includes Saud Al-Houshan, Khaled Al-Rashidi, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, Mahdi Dashti, Fahad Al-Hajri, Rashid Al-Dosari, Khaled Sabah, Jasem Al-Matar, Reda Hani, Youssef Al-Haqan, Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi, Abdullah Al-Qurzaie, Abdullah Al-Awadhi, Ali Hassan, Nasser Falah, Muntasir Abdul Salam, Muath Al-Dhafiri, Fawaz Al-Mubailesh, Bandar Al-Barazi, Khaled Al-Murshid, Shabib Al-Khaldi, Youssef Nasser, Mohammed Daham, Youssef Majed, Mohammed Khaled, and Eid Al-Rashidi.

Sousa has also included several young players who have recently impressed at club level, including Abdullah Al-Awadhi, Abdullah Al-Qurzaie, Youssef Al-Haqan, Ali Hassan, and Bandar Al-Barazi, highlighting his intent to integrate emerging talent.

The squad also features the return of several previously absent players, including Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, Mahdi Dashti, Jasem Al-Matar, Muntasir Abdul Salam, Fawaz Al-Mubailesh, and Mohammed Khaled.

At the same time, several regulars from the Arab Cup squad in Qatar last year have been left out, including Suleiman Abdulghafour, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Sultan Al-Anzi, Fawaz Ayyad, Hassan Hamdan, Adhbi Shihab, Mohammed Al-Sharifi, and Muath Al-Osaimi.

Separately, the Kuwait Olympic football team began its preparations at the Kuwait Football Association’s Adailiya pitch under newly appointed Spanish coach David Doneig. The first training session saw 31 players participate, with plans in place for an overseas training camp in the coming period.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff