Amidst a large media crowd, and in the presence of figures led by Prince Sultan bin Saad bin Khalid, Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwait Football Association, and Dr. Tariq Al-Jalahma, Kuwaiti Minister of Sports, the draw ceremony for the Saudi Super Championship was held on Wednesday, scheduled to be held in Kuwait during the period from 19 to 23 December. Victory equals immortality.
The draw ceremony witnessed the participation of two of the most prominent former Kuwaiti football stars: Ali Marawi, the former Kuwaiti national team player, who previously played professionally with Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia, and Bashar Abdullah, the former Kuwaiti national team star, who had a professional experience with Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia.
The two semi-final matches will witness competition between the four teams for the two tickets to qualify for the final match, as Al-Ahly and Al-Qadisiyah seek to overcome the semi-final obstacle in the first match, while Al-Nasr and Al-Koloud are looking to reserve the second ticket.
Sheikh Ahmed Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwait Football Association, described the Saudi Super Cup as a global event that transcends the boundaries of local competitions, expressing his happiness at Kuwait hosting the tournament, and expecting it to witness a large audience attendance from inside and outside Kuwait.
Al-Yousef said, in statements to the media: “I am very happy that Kuwait is hosting the Saudi Super Cup, and I consider it to be a global Super Cup, not just a Saudi one. The biggest proof of that is that the tournament was held in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and England, and witnessed stands full of fans, let alone the presence of a player like Cristiano Ronaldo in the next edition.”
He added: “I believe that the period from December 17 to 24 will be a football wedding on Kuwaiti soil, and will bring back to our minds the atmosphere we experienced during hosting the 26th Gulf Cup, and the joy of the Kuwaiti fans in welcoming the Gulf brothers.”
The President of the Kuwaiti Federation indicated that the tournament will attract fans from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries, and various parts of the world, stressing that there are preparations to facilitate the arrival of fans to Kuwait.
He said: “It was announced two days ago that great facilities would be provided to fans through the border crossings and Kuwait Airport, and I hope everyone will rush to buy tickets as soon as they are released electronically, so that they are not surprised by their running out in the last days.”
Al-Youssef revealed that more than one fan zone has been allocated to watch the matches, explaining that the fans who will not be able to enter the stadiums will have the opportunity to watch the matches via dedicated screens in those areas.
Regarding Kuwait continuing to host sporting events, he stressed that the Kuwaiti Federation is looking forward to continuing to organize major tournaments, after hosting the Gulf Cup and the French Super Cup, noting that the agreement to host the Saudi Super Cup extends for two years.
He explained: “We will not stop hosting international events; We organized the French Super Cup, and now we are hosting the Saudi Super Cup for two years, and the next edition may also be in Kuwait, but its date has not been determined yet, and if the tournament is not held, there will be another event, God willing.
Speaking about his technical expectations for the tournament, Al-Youssef nominated Al-Nasr and Al-Ahly teams to reach the final match, but he refrained from specifying the identity of the team that would win the title.
He said: “I expect the final to bring together Al-Nasr and Al-Ahly, but I cannot expect the champion, and I believe that all matches will be beautiful and popular.”
The President of the Kuwaiti Federation stressed that hosting major sporting events contributed to revitalizing the sporting and economic movement in the country, noting that Kuwait is experiencing a period of sporting recovery after its success in organizing a number of tournaments.
He added: “The Kuwaiti sports street is experiencing a state of recovery, as are the people of Kuwait in general, and these championships also reflect on the economy, through the occupancy of hotels, the revitalization of restaurants, and markets.”
Al-Yousef expected Kuwait to receive at least 200,000 visitors during the period from December 17 to 24, saying: “I expect that hotels will be full during this period, and that restaurants and markets will witness great activity, and the number of visitors to Kuwait may reach at least 200,000 people.”
In turn, Prince Sultan bin Saad bin Khalid, Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Kuwait, stressed that all Saudi Professional League clubs deserve praise, pointing out that the four teams participating in the Saudi Super Cup do not alone represent the champion clubs, but rather that all league teams are considered champions.
Prince Sultan bin Saad said, in media statements: “Not only the four participating clubs are champions, but all the Saudi League clubs are champions, thank God, and we hope that all clubs will participate, as they all deserve to be in the Super League.”
Regarding the addition that Kuwait’s hosting of the tournament will provide, the Saudi ambassador stressed that the Kuwaiti presence will give the competitions a distinctive character, citing the success of Kuwait’s hosting of the Gulf Cup in 2024.
He said: “There is no doubt that the Kuwaiti flavor is present in all fields, and I believe that the greatest evidence of this in the sporting field is the 2024 Gulf Cup, which was distinguished not only by its matches, but also by the public presence and the atmosphere witnessed outside the stadium.”
He added that this experience strengthens his confidence that Kuwaiti hosting will be a great addition to the Saudi Super Cup tournament.
