Doha, December 17 (QNA) - HE Chairman of Qatar Press Center Saad bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi emphasized the legacy created by the Gulf Cup tournament over the span of over five decades. The tournament has gone through many important stages and turning points throughout its history, starting with the construction of sports facilities to host it, in addition to the emergence of a group of players and generations that led Gulf football to important achievements at the Asian and global levels.
In a special statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), His Excellency underlined the Gulf Cup as the starting point for Gulf football, with some teams later succeeding in winning the Asian Cup or qualifying for the FIFA World Cup finals. Gulf countries hosted the Asian Cup after Qatar organized three editions in 1988, 2011, and 2023, Kuwait in 1982, and the UAE in 1996 and 2019. It is now on the way to Saudi Arabia, which will host the tournament in 2027, lead by Qatars historic hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Gulf countries have enjoyed a high status in hosting sporting events, and various team levels were clearly developed during the years following the launch of the first edition of the Gulf Cup, which confirms the great positive impact that the tournament has had on the countries in terms of organization and technique, HE Chairman said. He referred to the great public interactions with the tournament and the media momentum that has continued to accompany it, especially in recent years, which have witnessed great development in terms of media coverage and television broadcasting.
HE Chairman discussed the Qatar national team and noted its presence in all Gulf Cup tournaments since it launched in 1970, alongside Kuwait, is a milestone. The national team has always been at the forefront, despite the pressure of matches and the many continental and international entitlements. He added that Qatar Football Association was keen during Gulf Cup 25 tournament, hosted in Basra, Iraq, in January 2023, to participate with a team that included a group of young players.
HE Chairman hoped that the tournament continues in the future with the same technical and popular momentum to continue contributing to the development of Gulf teams and highlighting talents so that they can demonstrate their high capabilities, especially since the tournament helps players gain great experience, and has helped in building a distinctive infrastructure, whether in terms of stadiums or hotels.
Qatar hosted the Gulf Cup for the first time during its fourth edition in 1976 with the participation of seven teams, His Excellency said, adding that Khalifa International Stadium was built specifically to host it. It was the largest stadium in the Gulf in terms of capacity, seating over 45,000 fans. Iraq's presence was among the important events that occurred during the fourth edition of the Gulf Cup, as it was their first time participating, HE pointed out.
He explained that the tournament was the reason for the many Gulf stadiums built, including King Fahd International Stadium in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jaber International Stadium in Kuwait, in addition to some stadiums in the UAE that hosted Gulf Cup 18 in 2007.
The 11th edition of the Gulf Cup tournament was an important milestone for Qatar, having won the tournament for the first time, HE Chairman pointed out. This edition witnessed remarkable brilliance from many Qatari players, with Mubarak Mustafa receiving the top scorer and best player awards, and Ahmed Khalil winning the best goalkeeper award. The team won all their matches during the tournament except for one, losing 0-1 to Saudi Arabia, though Qatar clinched the title before the final game.
HE Chairman concluded his statement by emphasizing that Kuwait will organize a distinguished edition of the Gulf Cup, which will begin in a few short days. He pointed out that the technical readiness of the teams will play a major role in raising the technical level during the matches. (QNA)