Saudi Arabia will return to the Gulf Football Federation (GFF) U-17 Gulf Cup next month as the tournament expands to 10 teams for its second edition, with Qatar set to host the competition from October 16 to November 4, 2026.
The tournament draw will take place in Doha on Thursday, September 10, at the headquarters of the Gulf Football Federation. The draw will determine the groups and opponents for the participating teams ahead of the October competition.
Saudi Arabia enters the tournament as the reigning champion, after the U-17 national team won the inaugural edition in Qatar last year. The Saudi side defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the final on October 3, 2025, at Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha.
The 2026 edition will feature a larger field than last year’s eight-team tournament. The eight members of the Gulf Football Federation — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait and Yemen — will be joined by Egypt and China, taking the total number of participating teams to 10.
The expansion is designed to give young players more competitive experience against teams from outside the Gulf region. Organizers also see the tournament as an opportunity for the players to develop technically and gain valuable experience ahead of major international competitions, including the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026, which will be held later in November and December.
The competition comes at an important stage for Saudi Arabia’s youth team, with the squad looking to build on its successful campaign last year. The national team also has the FIFA U-17 World Cup ahead, where Saudi Arabia is scheduled to face Uruguay, France and Haiti in the group stage in November.
With the tournament expanding to 10 teams, the competition is expected to provide a tougher test for the young players. The group draw on September 10 will give participating teams a clearer picture of their route through the tournament and set the stage for the opening matches in October.
For Saudi Arabia, the focus will be on continuing its strong run at the competition and competing for another Gulf title, while the expanded tournament gives a new generation of players an opportunity to gain experience on a regional stage.
The U-17 Gulf Cup will run from October 16 to November 4 in Qatar.
