August 24... Date for the Gulf Club Champions League draw

With the participation of 12 clubs distributed across three groups... and the start of competitions on October 13

The Gulf Football Federation announced on Tuesday that the draw for the third edition of the Gulf Club Champions League for the 2026-2027 season will be held on August 24 at 12:00 PM Doha time. The competition’s matches will kick off on October 13, 2026.

In a statement, the Gulf Football Federation confirmed that the draw ceremony will be conducted via video conference. The 12 participating teams will be divided into three groups of four. According to the league format, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams across the three groups, will advance to the quarter-finals, which will be played on a home-and-away basis, in accordance with the tournament regulations.

The federation noted that the third edition is expected to see the largest participation in the history of the competition since its inception, following the decision to increase the number of participating clubs from eight to twelve. This move reflects the league’s development and the expansion of the participation base among member federations, contributing to raising the competitive level and enhancing the tournament’s standing in the region.

The list of participating clubs includes Kazma from Kuwait, Al-Ittihad and Neom from Saudi Arabia, Al-Nassr and Ajman from the United Arab Emirates, Al-Duhail and Qatar from Qatar, Erbil and Al-Zawraa from Iraq, Al-Shabab from Oman, Al-Riffa from Bahrain, and Shabab Hadhramaut from Yemen.

The federation indicated that announcing the draw date early aims to provide sufficient time for clubs and national federations to complete their technical and organizational preparations before the league begins, thereby enhancing team readiness and contributing to higher competition quality.

The qualifiers for the third edition of the tournament are scheduled to begin on October 13 and will continue until April 30, 2027, with 12 clubs representing the member national federations taking part.