UAE Prepares for High-Stakes Arabian Gulf Cup Final Against Host Nation Saudi Arabia

Zlatko Dalic has urged his UAE players to embrace the challenge as they prepare to face hosts Saudi Arabia in the highly anticipated Arabian Gulf Cup final. The Croatian coach has experienced a strong start since taking over the national team at the beginning of this season, with the Gulf Cup marking his debut assignment. His squad has displayed exceptional form on their path to the final, netting nine goals across four matches while conceding just once.

Tuesday night's title clash will present a substantial step up in the quality of opposition. Saudi Arabia enters the match as the highest-ranked team in the eight-nation competition, holding a 10-place advantage over the UAE in the Fifa standings. Historically, the UAE has secured only seven victories against their neighbors, compared to 23 wins for Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the hosts will enjoy the backing of a passionate home crowd at the 62,000-capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.

Despite these challenges, Dalic maintains that this fixture will be the "easiest" for his team to approach because the stakes are crystal clear. "Tomorrow will be the easiest game for us because it is a final," Dalic stated. "We have reached the final and I want my team to enjoy the game. We are here to enjoy playing, and I hope the fans will get to see an amazing game."

He added, "I know we will play against a very, very strong team who have been the best team so far in the tournament. They are playing in front of their people, their fans, and it will be a full stadium, but we are ready. We are ready for this moment. We have been working hard for the past 20 days. Saudi Arabia are a really good team, with a really good coach, but, as always, I am an optimist and I believe in my team."

The UAE has claimed the biennial tournament title only twice previously, defeating Oman in the final on home turf in Abu Dhabi in 2007, and securing their second trophy six years later against Iraq in Bahrain. Dalic's broader mission extends beyond regional bragging rights, as he was brought in to prepare the UAE for the Asian Cup—hosted by Saudi Arabia early next year—and ultimately build a squad capable of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1990. Nonetheless, a Gulf Cup victory would provide a tremendous early boost to his tenure.

To support the team in Jeddah, the UAE Football Association initially arranged six flights for supporters before doubling that number to 12 due to overwhelming demand. Subsidized ticket prices are expected to draw around 6,000 UAE fans, representing roughly a tenth of the stadium's capacity.

Both Dalic and UAE captain Khalid Essa acknowledged the vital contribution of the supporters, with Essa describing them as the team's primary motivator. "We expect a tough match as it’s a big derby between two of the Gulf’s most established national teams," Essa said. "We’ve been through many challenges in recent times and came close on previous occasions, so we hope this will be the moment we reap the rewards."