Saudi Arabia win fourth Gulf Cup title

Saudi Arabia beat UAE to win their fourth Gulf Cup title

Saudi Arabia defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the Gulf Cup final in Jeddah to win the trophy for the fourth time. The result brought Saudi Arabia level with Iraq and placed them among the tournament’s most successful teams, behind Kuwait’s 10 titles.

Scraper SystemOctober 07, 2026, 10:36 AM

Saudi Arabia beat UAE to win their fourth Gulf Cup title

Saudi Arabia won the Gulf Cup for the fourth time after defeating the United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the final of the tournament’s 27th edition. Played on Tuesday at Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, the match saw Saudi Arabia score both goals within the opening 13 minutes.

Hamam al-Hammami opened the scoring in the 11th minute. His powerful shot deflected off a defender and beat United Arab Emirates goalkeeper Khalid Eisa before finding the net. Firas al-Buraikan doubled the lead two minutes later. After receiving a pass from Nasser al-Dawsari behind the defense, al-Buraikan sent the ball into the far corner with his left foot.

Al-Owais stands out with crucial saves

The United Arab Emirates sought a goal in the second half and at other stages of the match, but Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais made several important saves. After stopping Guilherme Bala’s shot inside the penalty area in two attempts, Al-Owais also denied Nicolas Jimenez a clear chance in the 63rd minute and kept out Ruben Felipe Canedo’s shot in the 88th.

Saudi Arabia came close to scoring a third goal after a quick attack, but Saleh Abu al-Shamat’s shot hit the post. A penalty awarded to the United Arab Emirates in the 41st minute was overturned after a video assistant referee review. The review found that Saudi Arabia defender Hasan Tambakti had not committed a foul in the incident.

Tensions arose between players from the two teams late in the match. United Arab Emirates player Khalid al-Zinhani was shown a red card while on the substitutes’ bench for protesting the referee’s decision.

Saudi Arabia draw level with Iraq on four titles

The victory saw Saudi Arabia win the Gulf Cup again after a 22-year wait. Having previously lifted the trophy in 1994, 2002 and 2003, Saudi Arabia drew level with Iraq with their fourth title. Kuwait remains the tournament’s most successful team with 10 championships.

The United Arab Emirates missed out on winning their third title in the final. Hosted by Saudi Arabia for the fifth time, the tournament was held in Jeddah for the first time in the country’s history and took place from September 23 to October 6, with eight national teams participating.

Saudi Arabia beat UAE to win their fourth Gulf Cup title