Saudi Arabia face UAE in Gulf Cup final seeking fourth title

Gulf and Arab football fans will be focused this Tuesday evening on Al-Inma Stadium at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, where the Saudi national team will take on the United Arab Emirates in the final of the 27th Gulf Cup. The match is set to kick off at 9 p.m. local time.

This marks the first time that Jeddah is hosting the Gulf Cup final. The tournament began on September 23 with eight teams divided into two groups.

Group A featured Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Kuwait, while Group B included the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Yemen.

Green Falcons: perfect record to the final

Saudi Arabia enjoyed a strong run in the tournament, topping Group A with a perfect nine points after beating Kuwait 1-0, Oman 3-0, and Iraq 2-0.

The Green Falcons scored six goals in the group stage and kept clean sheets in all three matches, securing first place in the group with authority.

In the semi-finals, Saudi Arabia faced Asian champions Qatar. The match ended goalless after regular time, with Saudi Arabia advancing 3-2 on penalties.

Goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais was the hero in the shootout, saving several Qatari penalties, including two from Boualem Khoukhi, one of which was retaken.

Saudi Arabia now aim to capitalize on home advantage and strong fan support to win the Gulf Cup for a fourth time—and the first since 2003—relying on their solid defense, which has yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

UAE: chasing a third title

The UAE, meanwhile, are hoping to lift the Gulf Cup for a third time and the first since 2013.

The Emirati team opened their campaign with a commanding 4-0 win over Yemen, followed by a 3-0 victory against Bahrain.

The UAE scored seven goals and conceded none in their first two matches, securing early qualification for the semi-finals.

In the third round, the UAE drew 1-1 with Qatar, finishing top of Group B with seven points, eight goals scored, and just one conceded.

In the semi-finals, the UAE booked their place in the final by defeating Oman 1-0, with Othman Kamara heading in the winner in the 22nd minute.

The UAE are determined to end the tournament by claiming their third Gulf Cup title, while Saudi Arabia will look to leverage home advantage and defensive strength to lift the trophy and complete a perfect campaign.