Doha, December 10 (QNA) - Former Qatari national team player Mishal Mubarak said that the upcoming 26th Arabian Gulf Cup Championship (Gulf Cup 26), to commence in Kuwait on December 21, will be a great opportunity to capitalize on the tournaments competitiveness, given that seven out of its eight participating teams need to boost their readiness for the remainder of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Speaking to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), the former international player said that the Gulf Cup has contributed greatly to developing the game in the region on technical, administrative, and infrastructural levels, which is why Gulf teams have gone on to win continental titles and participate in global tournaments.
Mubarak added that Gulf Cup 26 will see heated competitions, considering the teams preparedness and the outstanding performance of many of their players recently in the third phase of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Going over his memories of past participations in the tournament, Former Qatari national team player pointed out that his first participation was in the Gulf Cup 15 in Saudi Arabia, which featured many impressive players and exceptional playing, during which Qatar performed exceptionally well, securing 2nd place after winning all their matches except for the final match, which they lost to Saudi Arabia.
Mubarak also highlighted the Gulf Cup 17 hosted by Qatar back in 2004, as being one of the most important tournaments in his career following Qatars second title victory, noting that back then, Oman proved to be a competitor to reckon with, as they made it to the finale and lost to Qatar in penalties.
Mubarak, who has previously played for clubs such as Qatar SC, Al Wakrah, Al Rayyan, Al Gharafa, and Al Ahli, said that the fact that seven teams will compete in the 3rd and decisive phase of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers will reflect positively on the tournaments technical level, not to mention its ideal timing which takes place during the break from the AFC Asian Qualifiers 2026, which resume in March.
The former Dutch Feyenoord player also reflected on his experience of Gulf Cup 15, which saw an impressive Qatari performance, coming close to winning their second title in history, thanks to a distinguished group of players who put in a lot of effort, as well as the support of fans and the technical and administrative staff, encouraging the team to deliver their best performance.
Mubarak, who also partook in the 2000 and 2007 AFC Asian Cups, stressed his confidence in Qatars ability to win their fourth title in the upcoming edition, thanks to the talented formation which already won the last two editions. He said that the Qatar team will strive to win this tournament and make their fans happy despite the fierce competition they are expected to face.
Regarding his predictions for the potential Gulf Cup 26 champion, Mubarak said that the Gulf Cup often unpredictable, however, indications point to Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq, the defending champions.
The Gulf Cup 26 will take place in Kuwait from December 21 to January 3, 2025, featuring eight teams, divided into two groups: Group A which includes Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and Oman, while Group B includes Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Yemen. (QNA)