Sports
Saudi Arabia beats UAE 2-0 to win Gulf Cup 27
October 6, 2026 at 09:11 PM · Updated 9d ago
Coverage
20 reports · over 9 hours
Saudi Arabia claimed their first Gulf Cup title in over two decades, defeating the United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the final in Jeddah.
- Hammam Al-Hammami and Firas Al-Buraikan scored in the 11th and 13th minutes at Enmaa Stadium in Jeddah.
- The title was Saudi Arabia's fourth in the tournament's history, their first since 2003.
- Saudi Arabia completed the tournament without conceding a goal during 480 minutes of play.
- Referee Jalal Jaid sent off UAE substitute Khaled Al-Dhanhani for protesting and striking the official late in the match.
- UAE coach Zlatko Dalic conceded Saudi Arabia deserved the victory, blaming early individual errors and the home crowd's pressure.
- The win moved Saudi Arabia level with Iraq on four titles, second all-time behind Kuwait's ten.
- Coach Georgios Donis secured his first trophy since taking charge of Saudi Arabia after the 2026 World Cup.
- Saudi Arabia's players and coaching staff celebrated the title with an open-top bus parade along Jeddah's Corniche, holding the trophy before large crowds.
- Musab Al-Juwayr, dropped from the squad for disciplinary reasons, attended the final and joined the pitch celebrations with the Saudi flag while refusing to be filmed.
- Saudi team manager Fahad Al-Mufarrej said the Gulf Cup win was a team achievement, insisting the squad is not a one-star team.
- Goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais credited fan support and his family's prayers for the win, calling the Gulf Cup title a step toward the Asian Cup and World Cup.









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