KUWAIT: The Technical Committee of the Gulf football Cup released yesterday the schedule of the matches of the tournament, to be held between December 22 and January 5. The committee said the eight teams taking part in the Gulf Cup would be divided into two groups: the first consisted of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, while the second included Qatar, Yemen, Iraq and Bahrain.

The tournament opener, to be held at Sheikh Jaber International Stadium, will be between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. It will be followed by a clash between Oman and the UAE, said the committee. Qatar will meet Yemen on December 23 at Kuwait Sport Club stadium, and will be followed by Bahrain and Iraq.

Meanwhile, the national football teams of Kuwait and Bahrain will face-off today in a friendly match ahead of the prestigious Gulf 23 football tournament, said an official yesterday. The Kuwaiti national team’s media coordinator Farouq Al-Awadhi told KUNA that this was the first match for the Kuwaiti team since lifting the FIFA ban. The Kuwaiti team, which consists of 26 players, will return home tomorrow. — KUNA