Doha:Hosts Qatar will begin their Gulf U-17 Cup Qatar 2026 campaign against tournament newcomers China on Friday. The match, marking the start of the 10-team competition, is set to take place at 545 p.m. at Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha.

According to Qatar News Agency, Qatar is part of Group A, which includes the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, and China. The home team is led by coach Nicholas Arnaldo and consists of a 23-player squad. The UAE will also play against Bahrain at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium at 8 p.m. in the second match of the day.

Group B includes defending champions Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen, and Egypt. Saudi Arabia will face Egypt on Saturday at Grand Hamad Stadium, while Iraq will play Yemen at Saoud bin Abdulrahman Stadium.

The group stage will continue until October 29, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals on November 1. The tournament will conclude with the final at Grand Hamad Stadium on November 4. A total of 23 matches will be held across three venues, featuring teams from the eight Gulf Football Federation member associations and invited teams China and Egypt.

The event aims to provide stronger competition and valuable preparation for future international tournaments, including the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026. Saudi Arabia, who won the first title in Qatar in 2025 by defeating the UAE 2-0, will seek to defend their championship.