Football associations across the region are finalizing veteran squads for the second GCC Veterans Football Championship in Qatar later this month.
Preparations accelerate as national football associations organize their veteran squads for the upcoming GCC Veterans Football Championship hosted in Qatar.
Bahrain Appoints Staff For Veteran Squad
The Bahrain Football Association named Abdulaziz Al-Ashraf and former international player Ghazi Al-Kowari to oversee the formation of its veteran squad. Training sessions began in mid-October on the association’s outdoor pitches, drawing interest from national team veterans. Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Isa Al Khalifa, vice president of the Bahrain Football Association, visited the team’s training camp.
UAE Football Association Approves Doha Tournament Squad and Staff
The UAE Football Association officially approved its 23-player squad and coaching staff for the Doha tournament (Al Khaleej Newspaper). Eid Barout takes charge as coach, supported by Adnan Al-Talyani as supervisor and Abdulqader Hassan as manager (Al Khaleej Newspaper). The technical staff includes Jumma Matar as assistant coach, Ali Ashoor as goalkeeping coach, and Ayman Al-Noubi as fitness coach (Al Khaleej Newspaper). The roster features recognized names including Ismail Matar, Majed Nasser, Subait Khater, and Walid Abbas.
Tournament Rules Fix Age Limit
Governing regulations set by the Gulf Football Association require participating players to be at least 40 years old, placing the birth year cutoff at 1986 or earlier. Matches span a total of 40 minutes divided into two 20-minute halves, supported by open substitutions across four stoppage intervals (Al Khaleej Newspaper). The eight competing squads are divided into two groups mirroring the setup from the regional tournament in Jeddah. Group Two places Bahrain alongside Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (Al Khaleej Newspaper).
Teams Face Match Schedules in Doha
Fixtures will unfold across Hamad Stadium and Saud bin Abdulrahman Stadium (Al Khaleej Newspaper). The UAE team begins its schedule against Yemen on October 30, meets Bahrain on October 31, and faces Qatar on November 2 (Al Khaleej Newspaper). The top two finishers from each group will advance directly to the tournament semifinals.
