Gulf Air, the flag carrier of the Sultanate of Oman and Bahrain, is kicking off a month-long football season with an special offer to encourage Omani fans to follow their national football team to the United Arab Emirates for the forthcoming 18th Arabian Gulf Cup. As the official sponsor of the Oman national team and to support the country’s participation in the regional football tournament, Gulf Air is offering 50 percent discount on all economy flights between Muscat and Abu Dhabi from 12-29 January.
“Gulf Air is pleased to join forces with Oman Football Association to encourage a sense of national pride in the country’s football team,” said Jaffar Juma, Gulf Air general manager Oman. “Football is close to the hearts of many in the Sultanate — the national sport of Oman — with many avid followers ... Earlier this year, Gulf Air became an integral part of the country’s international football set-up following a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Oman Football Association whereby the airline is the official sponsor for the national senior, Olympic, Under-19 and Under-17 teams,” he told the Times of Oman.
“Gulf Air is pleased to join forces with Oman Football Association to encourage a sense of national pride in the country’s football team,” said Jaffar Juma, Gulf Air general manager Oman. “Football is close to the hearts of many in the Sultanate — the national sport of Oman — with many avid followers ... Earlier this year, Gulf Air became an integral part of the country’s international football set-up following a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Oman Football Association whereby the airline is the official sponsor for the national senior, Olympic, Under-19 and Under-17 teams,” he told the Times of Oman.
2007 Gulf Cup Schedule of Matches
Group A (all games played at Abu Dhabi, Al Nuhayyan Stadium)
18/01/2007 Qatar - Iraq
18/01/2007 Saudi Arabia - Bahrain
21/01/2007 Bahrain - Iraq
21/01/2007 Saudi Arabia - Qatar
24/01/2007 Qatar - Bahrain
24/01/2007 Saudi Arabia - Iraq
Group B
17/01/2007 Kuwait - Yemen (Abu Dhabi, Jeque Zayed Stadium)
17/01/2007 United Arab Emirates - Oman (Abu Dhabi, Jeque Zayed Stadium)
20/01/2007 Kuwait - Oman (Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed)
20/01/2007 United Arab Emirates - Yemen (Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed)
23/01/2007 Oman - Yemen (Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed)
23/01/2007 United Arab Emirates - Kuwait (Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed)
Semi Finals
27/01/2007 Winner Group A - Runner Up Group B (Abu Dhabi, Al Nuhayyan Stadium)
27/01/2007 Winner Group B - Runner Up Group A (Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed)
3rd/4th Playoff
30/01/2007 Loser Semi 1 - Loser Semi 2 (Abu Dhabi, Jeque Zayed Stadium)
Final
30/01/2007 Winner Semi 1 - Winner Semi 2 (Abu Dhabi, Jeque Zayed Stadium)
Previous Winners
1970 Kuwait
1972 Kuwait
1974 Kuwait
1976 Kuwait
1979 Iraq
1982 Kuwait
1984 Iraq
1986 Kuwait
1988 Iraq
1990 Kuwait
1992 Qatar
1994 Saudi Arabia
1996 Kuwait
1998 Kuwait
2002 Saudi Arabia
2003 Saudi Arabia
2004 Qatar
The Arabian Gulf Cup was founded at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico by Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The first tournament took part in Bahrain and is now held every two years, open to Arab teams from around the Persian Gulf. Six of the teams (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and UAE) come from member countries of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council. Disputing references to the "Arabian Gulf", the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Association recently renamed its Premier League, the Persian Gulf Cup.