Gulf U-17 Championship Kicks Off Today

The second edition of the Gulf Cup for Under-17 teams kicks off today, hosted by Qatar until November 4, with 10 national teams competing in 23 matches, marking the largest edition of the tournament in terms of participating teams. The draw, held last September, placed host nation Qatar in Group A alongside the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, and China. Meanwhile, the “Blue Juniors” (Qatar) are in Group B with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen, and Egypt.

The opening round today features two matches in Group A. The first sees Qatar face China at 5:45 PM at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, marking China’s debut in the tournament. The second match pits the United Arab Emirates against Bahrain at 8:00 PM at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.

Competition continues tomorrow (Saturday), October 17, with two Group B matches. Saudi Arabia begins their title defense against Egypt at 5:45 PM at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, while Iraq take on Yemen at 8:00 PM at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. The “Blue Juniors” are absent from the opening round and will begin their campaign against Egypt next Tuesday.