Kuwait is set to host the 26th edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations, also known as “Gulf Cup 26,” from December 21, 2024, to January 3, 2025. The tournament will feature eight Arab teams divided into two groups, following the recent format of the competition.

The championship will be played under the group stage system, with the eight teams divided into two groups of four. Each group will compete to determine the top two teams, who will advance to the semi-finals, followed by the final match to crown the tournament champion.

The idea for the Gulf Cup was first proposed during the 1968 Olympic Games by Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Emir of Mecca. The Bahraini delegation presented the idea to Stanley Rous, the then-president of FIFA, during the Olympics. Upon returning from the event, the Bahrain Football Association held a meeting to discuss the concept, leading to the inaugural Gulf Cup being held in Bahrain in 1970 with the participation of four teams: Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.