The 'Blue' team launches preparations for the upcoming Asian Cup on November 9
Return of the Kuwaiti national team from Gulf Cup 27, renewed confidence in coach Sousa, and preparation for training camps ahead of the Asian Cup hosted by Saudi Arabia.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
The Kuwait national football team delegation will return to the country at 6:00 PM tomorrow (Wednesday), arriving from Jeddah, following their elimination in the first round of the 27th Gulf Cup, which is being hosted by Saudi Arabia until October 6 next year. The players are scheduled to rejoin their clubs starting tomorrow, Thursday, in preparation for the resumption of the fourth round of the Zain Premier League.
The Blue Team (Kuwait) faced the Oman national team at 8:30 PM today (Tuesday), at the time of this newspaper’s press time, in the third and final match of Group A of the tournament.
The board of directors of the Kuwait Football Association, chaired by Sheikh Ahmed Al-Yousef, is set to hold a meeting with the technical and administrative staff to review reports on the team’s participation in the 27th Gulf Cup, assess key positives and negatives, and reaffirm confidence in Portuguese coach Helio Sousa, who succeeded Argentine-born, Spanish-naturalized coach Juan Antonio Pizzi.
Al-Yousef had previously announced that Sousa would remain in charge of the national team regardless of the results in the 27th Gulf Cup.
Additionally, plans are being drawn up for preparations for the Asian Cup, which Saudi Arabia will host from January 7 to February 5. The draw placed Kuwait in Group A alongside host nation Saudi Arabia, as well as Oman and Palestine.
Al-Jarida has learned that preparations for the Asian Cup will begin during the international break from November 9 to 17 next year. The intention is to hold a training camp in Kuwait, featuring two friendly matches against Gulf and Arab teams, given that Saudi Arabia and Oman (Gulf teams) and Palestine (an Arab team) are in Kuwait’s Asian Cup group.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on its website today that there are 100 days remaining until the tournament, with the opening match on January 7 featuring Saudi Arabia against Palestine.
The Local Organizing Committee and the Saudi Football Association stated that preparations have moved from the planning stage to full operational readiness for the 19th edition of the continent’s premier tournament.
Coinciding with this occasion, “Khuzama” was previously unveiled as the official match ball for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Returning to the Blue Team’s preparations, specifically the first phase, potential opponents include Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The technical staff will contact these national teams later, specifically after the meeting with Sousa, to gauge his opinion based on the program he will submit to the board of directors.
If agreements for two international friendly matches in Kuwait prove unfeasible, the training camp will be held in one of the neighboring Gulf countries, likely Qatar or the UAE, with coordination arranged with national teams holding camps there at the same time.
The second and final phase of preparations for the Asian Cup will begin in mid-December, following the conclusion of the 13th round of the Zain Premier League. The national team will then enter a training camp in one of the Gulf countries, followed by a short camp in Saudi Arabia, similar to the camp held in Jeddah before the 27th Gulf Cup, which included a friendly match against Yemen that ended in a 2-0 victory for Kuwait.
