Hosts Qatar Drawn in Group A of Gulf U17 Cup

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September 10, 2026
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10-September-2026

Hosts Qatar Drawn in Group A of Gulf U17 Cup

Doha:  Hosts Qatar have been drawn alongside the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and China in Group A of the second edition of the Gulf U17 Cup, following the draw held via videoconference at the Gulf Football Federation headquarters on Thursday.

Group B features defending champions Saudi Arabia, alongside Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen and Egypt.

The tournament will be held in Qatar from October 16 to November 4, with 10 national teams taking part, the largest number of participants in the competition’s history. The Local Organizing Committee will oversee preparations and delivery of the tournament in coordination with the Gulf Football Federation.

For the draw, the participating teams were divided into five pots based on their results in the most recent Gulf Football Federation competition for the same age category.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the remainder of the tournament played on a knockout basis.

This year’s expanded edition brings together all eight member associations of the Gulf Football Federation – Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait and Yemen – along with invited teams Egypt and China.

The expanded field will give the participating teams valuable competitive experience against opponents with different playing styles as they prepare for upcoming international competitions, including the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026.