Preparatory camp for Gulf Cup referees kicks off in Jeddah
Referees from several countries have begun a preparatory camp in Jeddah ahead of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, set to be hosted by Saudi Arabia.
Key Takeaways
AIThe preparatory camp for referees set to officiate at the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, "Khaleeji Al-Diyar Al-Arabiya 27," began today in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia will host the tournament from September 23 to October 6, 2026.
The camp was opened by Hani Taleb Ballan, Chairman of the Referees Committee at the Gulf Football Federation, who welcomed the participating referees. Ballan emphasized the importance of making the most of the training program to achieve the highest level of readiness before the tournament begins. He expressed confidence in the referees' ability to deliver outstanding performances, stressing the need for commitment, seriousness, and benefiting from both theoretical lectures and practical training sessions.
The preparatory program includes theoretical lectures, practical exercises, fitness tests, and specialized training on the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The camp focuses on the latest updates to the laws of the game and their implementation, as well as discussing refereeing cases and decisions.
Practical training sessions are being held at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's training grounds, aiming to unify refereeing concepts and enhance the technical and physical readiness of all participants.
Introductory lectures and broad international participation
In parallel, the Referees Committee has launched a series of introductory lectures for technical staff and players of the participating national teams. The program began with a session for the Saudi team, highlighting key rule changes and refereeing instructions, supported by video clips illustrating decisions and how to handle them during matches.
This 27th edition of the tournament features international refereeing participation alongside Gulf referees, with a team from Morocco joining under an agreement between the Gulf Football Federation and the Confederation of African Football. Referees from Jordan and China are also taking part, in addition to two officiating teams each from the Netherlands and Portugal.
The Gulf Football Federation aims to use this international participation to exchange expertise, benefit from diverse refereeing experiences, and raise the technical standards of officiating in its competitions.