Third Gulf Champions League starts today with 12 clubs

The third edition of the Gulf Champions League for clubs begins today, Tuesday, for the 2026–2027 season. Organized by the Gulf Football Federation, the tournament features 12 teams representing member national associations, as part of efforts to boost competition among Gulf clubs and raise the standard of regional club competitions.

The opening round will see six matches played over Tuesday and Wednesday, with participating teams aiming for a strong start in the group stage, where eight spots are up for grabs in the quarterfinals.

The tournament opens tomorrow with three matches: Saudi side Neom hosts Yemen’s Shaab Hadramout in Tabuk in Group A, while in Group B, Qatar’s Al-Qatar faces Iraq’s Al-Zawraa at Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.

Also in Group B, UAE’s Al-Nasr hosts Bahrain’s Al-Riffa at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.

The opening round continues on Wednesday with three more matches: Qatar’s Al-Duhail hosts Oman’s Al-Shabab at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha for Group A, while in Group C, Saudi club Al-Ettifaq faces Kuwait’s Kazma at Al-Ettifaq Stadium in Dammam, and UAE’s Ajman hosts Iraq’s Erbil at Rashid bin Saeed Stadium.

This third edition features 12 teams divided into three groups of four, competing in a double round-robin format, home and away.

According to the tournament rules, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be played over two legs.

The group stage will run until February 17, 2027, with quarterfinal matches scheduled from March 2 to 17, 2027. The semifinals and final will take place between April 23 and 30, 2027.