Al-Yousef: Announcement of two events surpassing the "French Super Cup" next week

Kuwait officials

Kuwait Football Association President Sheikh Ahmed Al-Yousef expressed his delight at the launch of the Zain Premier League, despite the difficulties faced by the federation, noting that the start was strong.

In remarks made on the sidelines of the Al-Arabi vs. Kuwait match in the opening round, Al-Yousef said, “I am very pleased with this strong start, sponsored by Zain for the Premier League, as well as for the Under-19 league, which was previously our own initiative.” He added that prize money and transfer fees would remain the same.

He continued, “We are also happy with the large crowd turnout despite the heat and high humidity. However, we are compelled to begin at this time, in line with Gulf countries and others. We have accepted the challenge under these circumstances and will continue to do our best to achieve the most positive results.” He pointed out that hydration breaks were implemented during matches to help players rehydrate and drink water, easing the physical strain.

Regarding future projects at the federation, Al-Yousef revealed major upcoming events, stating, “I will hold a press conference next week to announce two major events that will surpass the French Super Cup held last season. The first event will take place in December next year, and the second will follow the 2027 Asian Cup.”

On the preparations of the “Blue Team” for the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup in Jeddah, Al-Yousef said, “The technical staff has developed a preparation plan that accounts for all variables. This includes a training camp in Doha, which offers all necessary facilities, for which we thank the authorities in Qatar. The team will then move directly to Saudi Arabia, where they will play a friendly match before the tournament.” He noted that players from Al-Qadsia and Kuwait clubs were absent from the Doha camp due to their clubs’ overseas commitments, but emphasized that the federation supports the clubs and stands behind them.

On the use of foreign referees, Al-Yousef said, “We invited one of the world’s best referees, who recently participated in the World Cup, to officiate the Kuwait-Al-Arabi match. This does not diminish the quality of our local referees at all; rather, it aims to reduce the sensitivity and pressure on them.” He also mentioned the existence of a full-time referee project, in cooperation with the Public Authority for Youth and Sports, to grant referees more full-time status so they can focus better on matches.