Tough draw for the 'Blue U-17s' in the Gulf Cup

The draw for the second edition of the Gulf Cup for U-17 national teams, held yesterday at the headquarters of the Gulf Football Union in Doha, placed the “Blue U-17s” in a strong Group 2 alongside Saudi Arabia (the defending champions), Iraq, Yemen, and Egypt. Meanwhile, Group 1 comprises Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, and China. The tournament matches will be hosted at Qatari venues from October 16 to November 4 next year, with 10 teams participating after Egypt and China were invited to join the competition. According to the tournament regulations, the group stage will be played in a single-round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing directly to the semi-finals, which will be contested on a knockout basis. This tournament serves as a crucial preparatory step for the “Little Blues,” led by their technical staff, as it provides them with the opportunity to face strong opponents such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Iraq, offering ideal conditions to enhance the players’ technical and physical readiness ahead of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled for November next year.