When Rising Stars Shine: Yemen and UAE Spark Gulf U23 Opening Night
4 December 2025
Opening day in Aspire Zone
The Gulf Cup Under-23 kicked off today at Aspire Zone in Doha, with eight nations split into two groups. Host Qatar leads Group A, joined by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait; Group B features Iraq alongside UAE, Oman and Yemen.
On the pitch, Yemen U23 claimed a precious 2-1 victory over Iraq in the opening game, while UAE beat Oman 2-0 on day one.
Doha hosts the event from December 4 to 16, as fans across the region watch a crop of rising talents in the Gulf Cup first edition.
Competition setup and opening fixtures
Eight teams are divided into two groups, with Qatar (the hosts) leading Group A alongside Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. In Group B, Iraq lines up with UAE, Oman and Yemen.
Qatar kicks off its campaign against Kuwait, while Saudi Arabia face Bahrain in the other opener.
Path to the final and venues
The group stage features 14 matches at two venues in Aspire Zone, which recently hosted the historic FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The final is planned for December 16 at Stadium 974, the first fully demountable World Cup stadium.
Punchline 1: If this is the future, bring sunblock to the subs.
Punchline 2: Blink and miss a through-ball—replays already have fashion sense.
