The new head coach is Hélio Sousa.

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 2: The Kuwait Football Association (KFA) has appointed Portuguese coach Hélio Sousa as the new head coach of the national team on a two-year contract.

KFA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef confirmed that Sousa will begin his duties by visiting overseas training camps where many national team players are currently preparing for the season. His tour aims to assess player performance and help finalize the squad for upcoming matches.

The national team is scheduled to hold an external training camp at the end of August as part of preparations for a friendly against Indonesia in early September.

Speaking during the Zain Premier League draw, Al-Yousef added that Sousa will also take on a broader role overseeing all of Kuwait’s national teams, expressing optimism about the coach’s future with the program.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef also revealed that Kuwait is close to securing the hosting rights for the upcoming French Super Cup, with discussions progressing positively to bring the prestigious match to the country.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef also announced that player Shabib Al-Khaldi is expected to return to action soon following the lifting of a doping-related suspension. The KFA is awaiting official confirmation in the coming days.

Shabib had been suspended for two years starting February 2024. Reports suggest he will rejoin his club, Kazma, by the end of August.

The draw for the 2024–25 Zain Premier League placed defending champions Kuwait Club against Al-Tadamon in the opening round. Other notable matchups include:

Al-Salmiya vs Kazma

Al-Arabi vs Al-Shabab

Al-Qadsiya vs Al-Nasr

Al-Jahra vs Al-Fahaheel

Key clashes to watch for include:

Round 3: Kuwait Club vs Al-Arabi

Round 4: Kuwait Club vs Al-Qadisiya

Round 9: The highly anticipated derby between Al-Arabi and Al-Qadisiya

The league format remains unchanged for the new season. Ten teams will compete in a home-and-away format. After the regular season:

The top six teams will enter a championship round.

The bottom four will battle to avoid relegation.

All clubs will carry over the points accumulated during both stages of the league.