The 27th Arabian Gulf Cup kicks off on Wednesday, September 23, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marking the first time the biennial tournament has been hosted in the city. The UAE national team opens its campaign on Thursday against Yemen, with kick-off set for 7:55pm local time.
All matches will be played across two venues, King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City, with eight teams from the Gulf Football Federation taking part. The UAE has been drawn in Group B alongside Qatar, Bahrain and Yemen.
The tournament marks the first major test for new UAE head coach Zlatko Dalic, the Croatian tactician who took charge of the national team in August. Dalic, who previously led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final, now faces the task of reviving a UAE side that last won the Gulf Cup back in 2013. Kuwait remains the tournament's most successful side, with a record ten titles.
Matches will be broadcast on Dubai Sports and Abu Dhabi TV, and streamed on MBC Shahid, giving fans across the region multiple ways to follow the action. All eyes will be on how Dalic's squad performs in its opening fixture against Yemen as the UAE looks to end its 13-year wait for a Gulf Cup title.