Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation Unveils Details of the Third Edition of the Gulf Club Champions League 2026-2027
The Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation has announced that 9 September 2026 has been set as the date for the draw of the third edition of the Gulf Club Champions League 2026-2027, which is scheduled to take place from 13 October 2026 to 30 April 2027.
The Federation has approved an increase in the number of participating clubs for the new edition, with the competition expanding from eight clubs to twelve clubs.
The Federation has also approved the slot allocation mechanism based on the ranking of its member associations according to the AFC Club Competitions Ranking for the 2026-2027 season, as follows:
First Tier (Two Slots Each):
Saudi Arabian Football Federation
United Arab Emirates Football Association
Qatar Football Association
Iraq Football Association
Second Tier (One Slot Each):
Oman Football Association
Bahrain Football Association
Kuwait Football Association
Yemen Football Association
The Federation has issued an official invitation to its member associations to nominate the clubs that will represent them in the Gulf Club Champions League 2026-2027, within a maximum period of two weeks from the date of this announcement (17 June 2026).
The Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation emphasized that nominated clubs must be among the highest-ranked teams in their respective domestic leagues, after excluding clubs participating in AFC competitions during the same season. In the event of non-compliance with this requirement, the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation reserves the right to accept or reject the nominated club and select the club it deems appropriate.
The Federation will also provide member associations at a later stage with the competition regulations, as well as details of the financial allocations designated for participating clubs.
This step comes as part of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation’s commitment to ensuring the highest levels of readiness ahead of the tournament’s launch, which will feature leading Gulf clubs representing the Federation’s member associations.
The third edition of the Gulf Club Champions League is attracting growing interest following the success of the first and second editions, both organizationally and technically, placing the upcoming tournament before a new challenge to further strengthen its status as one of the region’s leading club competitions.
It is worth noting that Iraq’s Duhok SC won the title of the inaugural edition after defeating Kuwait’s Al Qadsia SC 2-1 in the final, in the first tournament held under the umbrella of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation. Meanwhile, Qatar’s Al Rayyan SC were crowned champions of the second edition following a 3-0 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab FC in the final.