Al-Azraq Trains at Aspire
The Kuwait national football team held its first training session at the Aspire Academy stadium in Doha on Wednesday evening, in preparation for the Gulf Cup (Khaleeji 27), which will take place in Saudi Arabia from September 23 to October 6.
The “Blue Team” will compete in Group 1, alongside host nation Saudi Arabia, whom they will face in the opening match on September 23 at the Jeddah Superdome within King Abdullah Sports City. They will also face Iraq and Oman on September 26 and 29, respectively.
The “Blue Team” arrived in the Qatari capital on Wednesday afternoon to begin a training camp running until September 16, during which they will play a friendly match against Qatari club Al-Lusail next Sunday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the training session, delegation head Ayman Al-Husseini stated that the Kuwait Football Association opted for early preparations for Khaleeji 27 to ensure the national team reaches full readiness.
He noted that a trial match against Al-Lusail will be held next week, with all players expected to participate except those Kuwaiti players who missed the trip due to commitments with their clubs in the AFC Champions League Two. These players will later join the “Blue Team” in Jeddah.
For his part, player Abdullah Al-Awadi expressed his pride in representing Kuwait in this “tournament dear to our hearts,” affirming that he and his teammates would do their utmost to achieve the best possible results.
He emphasized that representing the “Blue Team” is a great responsibility, adding that the squad must make the most of the training sessions during the Doha camp to prepare themselves before the competitions begin.
Meanwhile, player Eid Al-Rashidi said, “Our ambitions are high for this tournament, and we are ready for it. We hope to deliver a performance befitting the reputation and history of Kuwaiti football.”
His teammate, striker Shuaib Al-Khalidi, stressed that “the Gulf Cup is different from all other tournaments; it is akin to a Gulf wedding that brings brothers together to compete in a unique spirit.”
