Jeddah to Host Arabian Gulf Cup for First Time Across Two Major Stadiums
JEDDAH, September 19, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Jeddah will host the Arabian Gulf Cup for the first time when the 27th edition of the regional football tournament begins on September 23, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Eight Gulf national teams will compete through October 6, with matches staged at King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City.
The tournament follows more than seven decades of stadium construction and organized football events in Jeddah.
Al-Sabban Stadium opened in the Al-Qurayyat district in 1950 as Saudi Arabia’s first official sports venue. The 12,000-seat stadium hosted the inaugural King’s Cup final and several later title matches.
In 1973, Brazilian club Santos visited Al-Sabban Stadium for an exhibition training session led by Pelé.
Jeddah’s stadium network expanded in 1970 with the opening of the Jeddah Youth Welfare Stadium in Al-Waziriyah. The venue initially accommodated about 22,000 spectators.
It was renamed Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in 2001. A major modernization project began in 2012, and the stadium reopened in 2021 with 27,000 seats as part of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City.
King Abdullah Sports City opened in 2014, adding a stadium with more than 62,000 seats to Jeddah’s sports infrastructure.
The two active sports cities will share hosting duties during the Arabian Gulf Cup.
King Abdullah Sports City will provide the tournament’s largest venue, while Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City represents the modernized successor to the stadium opened in Al-Waziriyah in 1970.
The competition will run for two weeks, concluding on October 6.
Source: SPA
