Two Pivotal Tests Put Oman's Football Back in the Spotlight
9 November 2025
Oman’s football is gearing up for two big tests this November and December, with both the senior national team and the Olympic side in internal camps ahead of important fixtures and tournaments.
Senior national team ready for Somalia and Arab Cup prep
The senior squad gathers for a new internal camp running through November 23 to sharpen focus for the November 26 friendly against Somalia, a match that forms part of the playoff to the Arab Cup in Doha, scheduled from December 1 to 18.
Additionally, the team aims to rebound from recent AFC World Cup qualifying results in the United States, Canada and Mexico 2026 cycle.
Coach Carlos Queiroz has named a 25-player squad following the end of round six of the Gundal football league, preparing for the Somalia test.
Among the features of the squad is the return of Munther Al Alawi who plays for Al Wahdat in Jordan, and the inclusion of players such as Yusuf Al Maliki and Khaled Al Ghutri fi, Saeed Al Alawi and others bringing a blend of veterans and promising youngsters.
Several players are absent due to various reasons, including Khaled Al Breki and Abdulrahman Al Mishafri who are pursuing club football in the Czech Republic and Mohsen Al Ghassani who plays in Thailand.
The senior team will also play two warm up friendlies against Sudan and Ivory Coast on November 14 and 18 in order to finalize the squad and tactical approach for the Somalia game.
The notable return of Munther Al Alawi from Jordan based club and other veteran names augur well for the campaign, with Ibrahim Al Rajhi of Al Nasr and Yusuf Al Maliki also among those named. Younger talents also feature in the list.
The Olympic team will train under national coach Bader Al Meimani with 26 players, holding daily sessions at the Seeb Stadium complex as they prepare for the Gulf Cup for Olympic teams in Doha from December 4 to 16.
In the Olympic group, Oman is drawn into Group 2 with Iraq, UAE and Yemen, while Group 1 includes Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The Olympic squad list includes players from Seeb and other clubs, with several young talents to monitor for the future.
Punchline 1: If strategy were a dessert, Queiroz serves a full course sweet and a little bitter, with no excuse to skip the after-dinner mint.
Punchline 2: If footballs could travel, these Oman balls would already have passport stamps for Doha, Seeb, and every training ground in between.
