DUBAI: Saudi Arabia face hosts Russia on the 14th of June 2018 in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup, but the next stage of preparations en route to Moscow starts this weekend against another host country in another opening fixture. The 23rd edition of the Gulf Cup kicks-off on Friday when the Green Falcons face a Kuwait side returning from more than two years of international hiatus following a ban from FIFA.
The side that takes on the Blues of Kuwait on Friday will be very different to that expected to face Russia in six months’ time. For starters, coach Krunoslav Jurcic will lead the team instead of first-team manager Juan Antonio Pizzi. The Croatian takes to Kuwait the youngest squad among the eight nations competing for the regional title.
Besides the host nation, Saudi Arabia’s Group A includes regional heavyweights the United Arab Emirates as well as Oman. Saudi and the UAE exchanged wins in the third round of the Asian qualifiers to the FIFA World Cup: The Green Falcons triumphed 3-0 in Jeddah, while the Whites responded with a 2-1 win in Al-Ain in the penultimate matchday of the campaign.
The UAE have since replaced coach Mahdi Ali with experienced Italian Alberto Zaccheroni who has called up a full-strength squad for the Gulf Cup, including the likes of 2015 Asian Player of the Year Ahmed Khalil and his successor for the award Omar Abdulrahman as well as 2015 Asian Cup top goal scorer Ali Mabkhout. With the abundance of talent in their ranks, the UAE are favorites to advance from the group and even win the tournament.
Kuwait will be motivated, returning to international football in their favorite competition, which they have won a record ten times. On home soil, the Blues will mount a serious challenge for the title and their fans will accept nothing short of a semifinal spot.
Then there is Oman, whose Dutch manager Pim Verbeek plays a conservative brand of football and could be successful in getting smash-and-grab wins against stronger opponents.
Given all of the above, coupled with the inexperience of his own squad, Jurcic would be wise to ease the pressure on his players and instead focus on the medium-term objective of helping Pizzi identify players who can make it to the team traveling to Russia. Granted, Saudi fans would not be satisfied with an early exit. After all, the Gulf Cup remains highly entrenched in the region’s fan culture and bragging rights are still as important as ever to supporters.
Kuwait’s ban has seen them slip down to 188th in FIFA rankings, a position that does not represent their true level. Saudi are currently ranked 63rd and a defeat or even a draw against a side 125 places below them can have a damaging impact on the team’s ranking. The same is true, to a lesser extent, of Oman who are ranked 101st going into the tournament.
A number of players in Jurcic’s squad already have a claim on a spot on the plane to Moscow next summer, and for them, it is crucial that they lead by example to impress coach Pizzi, who will certainly be watching. Defender Abdulrahman Al-Obaid, midfielders Ahmed Al-Fraidi, Salman Al-Moasher and Nouh Al-Moosa, in addition to strikers Mukhtar Fallatah and Hazza Al-Hazza, have all represented the national team over the past 12 months and are considered fringe players at this stage. Their performances in Kuwait can go a long way in determining their World Cup fate come May.
World Cup places at stake in Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Cup bid
World Cup places at stake in Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Cup bid
World’s top 20 confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
- Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and defending champion Mirra Andreeva headline the 26th premier women’s tournament
- WTA 1000 event runs from Feb. 15-21, followed by the 34th ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28
DUBAI: The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships returns in 2026 with one of the strongest WTA 1000 line-ups in its history, featuring all of the world’s top 20 players for the Women’s Week from Feb. 15-21.
The 2026 field features a complete set of top-ranked stars, including World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, World No. 3 Coco Gauff, and World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, alongside Elena Rybakina (No. 5), Jessica Pegula (No. 6), Jasmine Paolini (No. 7), 2025 champion Mirra Andreeva (No. 8), Madison Keys (No. 9) and Belinda Bencic (No. 10).
Leading the charge is Sabalenka, who returns to Dubai after a standout 2025 season highlighted by her US Open triumph, where the Belarusian claimed her fourth career Grand Slam title and secured a second consecutive win in New York. Reinforcing her position at the top of the women’s game, Sabalenka has started the 2026 season in fine form by retaining her title at the Brisbane International without dropping a set.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek also returns following another exceptional season in which the Polish star captured the 2025 Wimbledon title and reached multiple WTA 1000 finals, finishing the year with one of the highest win percentages on tour.
Joining them is Gauff, who enjoyed a defining 2025 campaign with her French Open victory, the second Grand Slam title of her career and first on clay. The American 21-year-old also added a Masters 1000 trophy in Cincinnati and reached the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and US Open grand slams, closing the year inside the top three for the first time.
Defending champion Andreeva had a breakthrough season in 2025, which saw her secure a historic triumph in Dubai, making her the youngest WTA 1000 champion in history. The 18-year-old Russian followed that success with two Grand Slam quarter-finals and a rapid rise into the world’s top 15. She arrives in Dubai looking to defend the title that launched her onto the global stage.
“We are delighted to welcome all of the top 20 women’s players once again,” said Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the organising committee. “The depth of talent committed for 2026 reflects the status of this event on the global tennis calendar. Dubai has become an essential stop for the world’s best players, and we look forward to another exceptional week of world-class tennis.”
The line-up also includes talents such as World No. 12 and two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina, as well as Canada’s World No. 17 Victoria Mboko, whose breakthrough performances propelled her into the world’s top 20 for the first time. Their presence adds further depth to a roster that cements Dubai’s position as one of the most competitive stops on the WTA calendar.
Salah Tahlak, tournament director and deputy managing director of Dubai Duty Free, said of the line-up: “Women’s tennis continues to set new standards for competitiveness and quality. With the top 20 players confirmed, spectators can expect compelling matches from the opening day. Each year our WTA event delivers incredible moments, and 2026 promises to be no different.”
The 2026 Championships will run back-to-back once again, with the women’s WTA 1000 event from Feb. 15-21 and the men’s ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28.
