Gulf Cup 26 Title Clash Between Oman and Bahrain
The 26th edition of the Gulf Cup reaches its end tomorrow, Saturday, with the final match at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait, featuring Oman and Bahrain. Oman booked their spot in the final by defeating Saudi Arabia 2-1, while Bahrain edged past hosts Kuwait with a narrow 1-0 victory.
The Omani national team is chasing their third Gulf Cup title, having previously triumphed in 2009 and 2017. Bahrain, on the other hand, seeks to claim their second title, following their maiden victory in 2019 in Qatar.
This will be the first final between Oman and Bahrain since the tournament adopted the knockout format in 2004.
Despite Bahrain’s strong form, which positions them as favorites, Oman’s prospects cannot be overlooked. Tomorrow’s match will mark the 23rd Gulf Cup encounter between the two sides. Bahrain holds the edge with eight wins, compared to five losses and nine draws against Oman.
For Oman, a win would not only secure their third title but also provide redemption after their narrow loss in the 2023 final against Iraq. That defeat was Oman’s third in Gulf Cup finals, following setbacks to the UAE in 2007 and Qatar in 2004.
Oman entered Gulf Cup 26 amid struggles in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, sitting fourth in their group, five points behind second-placed Iraq.
Since their opening match against Kuwait, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Oman has shown a significant transformation in their performance. This was followed by a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Qatar and another 1-1 draw against the UAE, where they rallied to equalize in the 79th minute. These improved displays come despite their earlier struggles in the decisive third round of the World Cup qualifiers, where the team endured four defeats in six matches.
As the “Reds” progress to their sixth Gulf Cup final, they continue to defy expectations. Their 2-1 semi-final victory over Saudi Arabia highlighted their resilience, achieved under challenging circumstances, including the dismissal of Mundher Al-Alawi in the 34th minute.
Central to Oman’s success is striker Issam Al-Subhi, the tournament’s top scorer with three goals. His contributions will be pivotal as Oman aims for the title and a morale boost ahead of resuming their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Bahrain, vying for their second Gulf Cup title, began their campaign with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Saudi Arabia and a solid 2-0 win against Iraq to secure a semifinal berth. Although they suffered a 1-2 loss to Yemen in a dead rubber in the third round, they rebounded with a 1-0 semifinal win over hosts Kuwait.
Bahrain is eager to match Oman’s Gulf Cup tally while overcoming their poor record against Oman in knockout stages, having lost four times to them in Gulf Cup semifinals.
Croatian coach Dragan Talajic is expected to stick with the lineup that has brought Bahrain success so far. His midfield, featuring Kamil Al-Aswad, Sayed Dhiya Saeed, Ali Madan, Mohammed Marhoon, and Mehdi Humaidan, will play a key role. Striker Mohammed Al-Romaihi will step in for the suspended Mehdi Abdul-Jabbar, who received a red card in the semifinal against Kuwait
