Kuwait receives trophy of Gulf Cup from Qatar

KUWAIT: Kuwait Football Association said yesterdayit received the trophy of the Gulf Cup from Qatar, the winner of the 22nd tournament, part of KFA preparations for the 23rd Gulf Cup, to be held in Kuwait next Friday. KFA Secretary General and 23rd Gulf Cup Director, Mohammad Khalil, received the trophy from Hamad Al-Mannae, chairman of competitions committee at Qatar’s football association, KFA said in a statement. Khalil thanked AlMannae for bringing the trophy from Doha. The Gulf Cup will begin with a clash between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia at Jaber International Stadium. The game will be followed by an encounter between Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Defending champion, Qatar, will start its matches against Bahrain on Saturday.

Meanwhile, President of Kuwait Football Association (KFA) said the higher committee tasked with organizing the 23rd Gulf Cup was exerting every possible effort to bring about success for the tournament, fully backed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Sheikh Ahmad Yusuf Al-Sabah said the committee members, chaired by Deputy Premier and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh, have been meeting regularly to remove all hurdles facing teams preparing for the Gulf Cup, which would begin on December 22. The committee’s vice-chairman is Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Minister of State for Youth Khaled Al-Roudhan. Sheikh Ahmad, in an interview with Kuwait TV, said Al-Saleh and Al-Roudhan were facilitating all procedures that would pave way for a successful tournament, which would conclude on January 5.

Al-Saleh, in a statement earlier, announced that His Highness the Amir has decided to personally bear the costs of the Gulf Cup. Sheikh Ahmad, meanwhile, said the GCC countries, Iraq and Yemen sent their approvals to participate in the Gulf Cup two days after His Highness the Amir instructed that Kuwait host the event. Sheikh Ahmad thanked Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah for visiting the players yesterday, which had positive impacts.

He added that more than 20 TV channels and over 3,000 journalists would be in Kuwait to cover the Gulf Cup. Sheikh Ahmad said His Highness the Amir would attend the opening game between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which would be held at Jaber International Stadium. — KUNA