Team Qatar to take on Saudi Arabia in U-17 Gulf Cup Semifinals

alt
September 29, 2025
football
feed type icon
29-September-2025

Team Qatar to take on Saudi Arabia in U-17 Gulf Cup Semifinals

DOHA -  Qatar’s U-17 national football team will take on Saudi Arabia  on Tuesday, in the semifinals of the Gulf Cup, hosted at Grand Hamad Stadium. The tournament, currently being held in Qatar, will run until October 3.

The young Qatari side has been in top form, winning all three of its group-stage matches to finish first in Group A. Qatar opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Yemen, followed by another 1-0 victory against Oman, and wrapped up the group stage by defeating the UAE 2-0.

Led by Spanish coach Álvaro Mejía, team Qatar  is now aiming for its fourth consecutive win and a place in the final. Mejía expressed confidence in his squad’s readiness for the Saudi challenge, highlighting standout players such as Faisal Saeed, Zaid Faisal, Tamim Al-Qadi, and goalkeeper Ahmed Saber, who has impressed with his performances so far.

This tournament is seen as a valuable stepping stone for Qatar ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will also be hosted in Qatar this November.

On the other side, Saudi Arabia will be looking to bounce back after a 2-1 loss to Iraq in their final group match. The Saudis reached the semifinals with big wins over Bahrain and Kuwait , both by a score of 4-0.
Coach Abdulwahab Nasser Al-Harbi is counting on several key players, including star forward Waleed Al-Noor and the talented trio of Abdulrahman Sufyani, Abdulhadi Mutari, and Sabri Dhal.

In the other semifinal match, also taking place on Tuesday, the UAE will face Iraq at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium.

Iraq topped Group B with 7 points, following a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia, a 2-0 victory over Bahrain, and a 1-1 draw with Kuwait. Coach José María Zarco is placing his hopes on striker Zain Al-Abideen Al-Rubaie and midfielder Haider Adnan, though he acknowledges the challenge of facing a strong UAE side that is also preparing for the World Cup.

Meanwhile, UAE coach Majid Salem Al-Zaabi hopes his team can secure a key win, boost morale, and head into the U-17 World Cup with confidence. The UAE finished second in Group A with 6 points, just behind Qatar.

According to tournament rules, the semifinals are knockout matches. The final will be held on October 3 at Grand Hamad Stadium.