The UAE and Saudi Arabia, the two best teams of the tournament, are all set to vie for Gulf Cup glory when they lock horns in the final on Tuesday (10 pm UAE Time).
Saudi Arabia will be the favourites to win at the 60,000-capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Saudis, three-time Asian champions, are historically the most consistent team in the region — even though Qatar have recently emerged as a major power with back-to-back Asian Cup triumphs (2019 and 2023).
With seven Fifa World Cup appearances, Saudi Arabia are the most experienced big-stage football nation in the region.
At the 2026 edition of the Gulf Cup, Saudi Arabia began their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over record 10-time champions Kuwait in Group A.
Georgios Donis’ team then turned on the style, outclassing Oman 3-0 in their next game before beating Iraq 2-0 in their final group-stage game.
Qatar put up a brave fight in the semis, which ended in a goalless draw before the Saudis won 3-2 on penalties.
It was an absorbing contest that left both teams gasping for breath.
“I congratulate the players on their high-level performance and tenacity; they gave their all in a difficult match against an experienced opponent that plays with a solid defensive setup,” Donis said.
The Greek tactician also praised the home supporters for never stopping to cheer their team on in the gruelling encounter.
“After the match ended, I asked the players to thank and congratulate the fans, who had an impact on us during the game,” Donis said.
Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui also acknowledged the role played by the home supporters.
“We faced a very strong crowd that played a significant role and gave the Saudi team an advantage, and we also faced a strong team playing on home soil,” Lopetegui said.
On Tuesday, when the UAE step on to the field for the final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, who famously stunned Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will be banking on the passionate support from their fans.
The only set of fans who managed to subdue the famous Argentinian fans at the Qatar World Cup with their roaring chants, the Saudi crowd can create an intimidating atmosphere for any team in the world.
But there will be nothing more beautiful than silencing that crowd for the UAE team.
Zlatko Dalic’s men will also be buoyed by the sight of thousands of Emirati fans who will board special flights to Jeddah to cheer for the national team in the grand finale on Tuesday.
But matches like these are won on the field. While the supporters can lift the spirit of a side, in the end, it’s the team that holds its nerve in crunch moments that clinches victory.
Built with a combination of homegrown talent and foreign-born players, the UAE have played some attractive football in the 2026 edition of the Gulf Cup.
In the final against the formidable Saudis, they will hope to continue with the same momentum.
The Whites were ruthless against Yemen in their 4-0 win, which was followed by an emphatic 3-0 victory over defending champions Bahrain.
The two-time champions then ended their Group B campaign with a 1-1 draw with Qatar before overcoming the Omani challenge in the semifinal with a 1-0 win.
Since taking over as the new UAE head coach last August, Dalic has set the wheels in motion for a nation hoping to end its World Cup drought.
The UAE haven’t qualified for the global showpiece since making their debut at Italia 1990.
Having guided Croatia to a World Cup runner-up finish in 2018 as well as helping them reach the semifinals at Qatar 2022, Dalic knows what it takes to build teams that function like a well-oiled machine.
The UAE have certainly displayed both talent and tenacity in their run to the final under their Croatian boss.
Now they face the biggest hurdle against the home team in the final on Tuesday.
A victory will not only earn them their first Gulf Cup title since 2013, but it will also be a great boost ahead of the 2027 Asian Cup (January 7-February 5), a tournament that will be hosted by Saudi Arabia, their opponents in Tuesday’s final.
The stakes could not have been higher. But Dalic was roped in to win big matches like these.
“We will face Saudi Arabia, the best team in the tournament. They have a clean sheet, and they have the advantage of home ground and stadium. This is a difficult challenge for us, but we are ready and our goal is the title,” Dalic said on Monday.
Donis, Dalic’s counterpart, acknowledged the challenge of facing the UAE in the final.
“The UAE is one of the best teams in this tournament, and it has clear tactical discipline, while their coach Zlatko Dalic has a precise reading of every detail of the matches,” he said.
Unlike boxing’s pre-bout press conferences, there was no trash talk, only mutual respect on display when Dalic and Donis spoke to the media on Monday.
But when the final begins on Tuesday, their teams will fight tooth and nail, covering every blade of grass for a chance to lift the coveted trophy.
Source: Khaleej Times