Qatar hosts 2026 Gulf Cup Under-17 football championship

The 2026 Gulf Cup Under-17 championship has commenced in Doha, Qatar, featuring its largest-ever field of 10 participating teams. The tournament, organized by the Gulf Arab Cup Football Federation, runs from October 16 to November 4 across three stadiums.

In the opening matches, China secured a notable 2-0 victory over the host nation, Qatar, at Hamad Large Stadium. In a second fixture held at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium, the United Arab Emirates defeated Bahrain with a score of 2-1.

The competition is divided into two groups. Group One consists of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, and China. Group Two includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, and Egypt. The tournament follows a single round-robin format for the group stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.