JEDDAH: The 27th Arabian Gulf Cup begins in Jeddah on Sept. 23, with eight national teams set to compete across 15 matches until Oct. 6.

The tournament, known as Gulf Cup 27, is being held in Saudi Arabia under the patronage of King Salman and will coincide with the Kingdom’s National Day celebrations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Matches will be played at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium, with organizers finalizing their preparation of the venues and supporting infrastructure for teams, fans and media.

The local organizing committee has also completed preparations around match operations, transportation, logistics and other services for the tournament, SPA said.

The 2026 tournament marks the first time the Arabian Gulf Cup has been staged in Jeddah.

Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal on Friday said the Kingdom was ready to host the event and thanked the king for his patronage, adding it reflected the leadership’s support for sport and Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a host of major international and regional events.

“This tournament is a cherished sporting occasion for the people of the region, given its historical significance and special place in the history of Gulf sports, and the deep-rooted fraternal ties it represents,” Prince Abdulaziz said.

“We in the Kingdom are delighted to welcome our brothers once again to this edition, which holds particular importance as it coincides with the Kingdom’s National Day,” he added.

Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Kuwait will compete in Group A, while Group B comprises Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Yemen.