Gulf Club Champions League begins with 12 participating teams

The third edition of the Gulf Club Champions League for the 2026-2027 season has commenced, organized by the Gulf Football Association. The tournament features 12 clubs representing member national associations, aiming to enhance competitiveness and elevate the level of club competitions in the region.

The 12 participating teams are divided into three groups of four, competing in a home-and-away league format. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals, which will also be played over two legs.

The opening round consists of six matches scheduled across Tuesday and Wednesday. Initial matchups include Neom (Saudi Arabia) against Shaab Hadramaut (Yemen), Qatar SC (Qatar) against Al-Zawra'a (Iraq), and Al Nasr (UAE) against Al Riffa (Bahrain). Subsequent opening matches feature Al Duhail (Qatar) against Al Shabab (Oman), Al Ettifaq (Saudi Arabia) against Kazma (Kuwait), and Ajman (UAE) against Erbil (Iraq).

The group stage is scheduled to run until February 17, 2027. The quarter-finals are set for March 2–17, 2027, followed by the semi-finals and the final between April 23 and April 30, 2027.