History of Saudi Arabia and Oman encounters in the Gulf Cup

Gulf fans are looking forward to a strong clash between Saudi Arabia and Oman next Saturday at the Al-Inma Stadium, in the second round of the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup 'Gulf 27' in Saudi Arabia.

The match will kick off at 9 PM, featuring a clash between a team looking to strengthen its lead and another seeking a victory to reassess its strategy after the opening round of the tournament.

Saudi Arabia began their campaign in the Gulf Cup 27 with a victory over Kuwait by a single goal, earning three points that placed them alone at the top of Group A since the first round.

Oman earned a point after drawing 1-1 with Iraq, leveling with the Lions of Mesopotamia, while Kuwait remains at the bottom without any points.

Saudi Arabia has a clear advantage over Oman in their previous encounters, having faced each other 16 times in the history of the Gulf Cup, with the Green achieving 11 victories, compared to 2 draws and 3 wins for Oman.

The encounters between the two national teams began in the Gulf Cup 4 in Qatar, when Saudi Arabia triumphed with a score of 3-1, leading to a long series of matches that saw Saudi dominance for years.

During the editions of 1979, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1992, and 1994, Saudi Arabia achieved six victories and one draw, before Oman recorded their first win over the Green with a score of 1-0 in the Gulf Cup 13 in 1996.

Saudi Arabia regained its dominance during the 1998, 2002, and 2004 editions, before experiencing a historic shift in the final of the Gulf Cup 19 in 2009, which ended in a goalless draw.

Oman clinched the final of the Gulf Cup 19 on penalties, securing their first title in the Gulf Cup after overcoming Saudi Arabia following a match that extended to the decisive penalties.

The exchange of superiority has continued in recent years, as Oman defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the 2017 edition, before the Green regained their victory over their rivals in the 2019 edition.

In the Gulf Cup 25 in Iraq in 2023, Oman returned to victory with a score of 2-1, before repeating the same result against Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals of Gulf Cup 26 in 2025.

Despite Saudi Arabia's loss in their last match in the previous tournament, Oman did not win the title after losing the final match against Bahrain, leaving the upcoming encounter open for a new scenario in 'Gulf Cup 27'.