"Blue Youth" Face Bahrain in Asian Cup Qualifiers

Kuwait’s U-17 national football team kicks off its campaign in the qualifiers for the 2027 AFC U-17 Asian Cup today, facing Bahrain at 4:00 p.m. at the Al-Saada Sports Complex Stadium in Salalah, Oman, in the opening match of Group 7.

The opening round also features a clash between Lebanon and Brunei Darussalam at 7:00 p.m., while the Omani national team, hosts of the group stage, receive a bye.

Thirty-five teams are participating in the qualifiers, divided into seven groups of five. The winner of each group advances to the 2027 AFC U-17 Asian Cup finals, scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan in May 2027.

The seven qualifiers will join nine teams that have already secured automatic qualification for the finals by reaching the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar: Australia, China, Japan (the defending champions), South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

The match holds significant importance for “Al-Azraq” (The Blues), who aim to secure a positive start that will boost their morale and strengthen their chances of competing for one of the qualifying spots, especially since the qualification format awards only the group winner with a place in the finals.

Entering the Asian qualifiers with ambitions of restoring balance, Kuwait’s U-17 side follows a modest performance at the recent Gulf Cup, where they finished last in Group 2 after suffering four defeats without scoring a goal, while conceding ten.

These results compel the Kuwaiti team to deliver a better performance in the qualifiers, particularly as the opening fixture against Bahrain presents a crucial opportunity to regain confidence after struggles in both defense and attack during the Gulf tournament.

The technical staff, led by Brazilian coach Cayo Zanardi, are focusing on addressing the shortcomings of the previous campaign, improving cohesion and understanding among players, and enhancing attacking effectiveness and defensive organization, in hopes of fielding a team that meets the ambitions of the qualifiers.

Today’s match represents a key milestone in Al-Azraq’s plans, as securing all three points would provide an ideal start and strengthen their chances of competing for top spot in the group before continuing their campaign in the remaining rounds, aiming to secure a place in the Asian Cup finals.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Cayo emphasized, “It is very important to beat the Bahraini national team, bearing in mind that the previous encounter took place a year ago, and everything may have changed.”

He noted that Al-Azraq prepared for the qualifiers in Kuwait, gaining experience through participation in the recent Gulf Cup for U-17 teams held in Qatar.