Gulf Cup hosts Qatar said yesterday they have received no response from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as the deadline for their confirmation for the regional football showpiece passed on November 13.
Consequently, the three teams will be considered as having “withdrawn” from the tournament which is scheduled to start on December 22. “There was no response to our letter and they are withdrawn from the tournament,” said Jassim al-Rumaihi, Gulf Cup Football Federation general secretary (GCFF).
Doubts have hung over the Gulf Cup because of an illegal siege on Qatar which began in June.
The only chance that it will go ahead now rests with Kuwait, which was given a November 30 deadline yesterday to say if they will play in the competition.
If that deadline cannot be met, then the tournament will be cancelled, said the GCFF.
Although Kuwait is not part of the political dispute — it has acted as a regional mediator since the crisis began back in June — its football association has its own problems and remains suspended by FIFA, which means it is unclear if its team is eligible to play in the tournament.
“We have given 15 days for Kuwait to solve their problems,” said al-Rumaihi.
Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani (centre) headed the Executive Committee meeting yesterday.
