Latest news with #AhmadAl-YousefAl-Sabah
Kuwait Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Kuwait football's brightest stars shine at Zain's annual Excellence Awards
KUWAIT: Zain Kuwait, the strategic partner of the Kuwait Football Association, honored the stars of the 2024-2025 Zain Premier League (Dawri Zain) season during the annual Excellence Awards, which brought together an elite group of Kuwaiti sports stars, media figures and sports personalities. The event marked the conclusion of the third season of Zain's strategic partnership with the KFA, reaffirming the company's commitment to supporting sports and youth in Kuwait, contributing to the development of Kuwaiti football, and encouraging players and coaching staff to achieve peak performance. The event was attended by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwait Football Association; Waleed Al-Khashti, Chief Corporate Affairs & Relations Officer at Zain Kuwait; senior KFA officials; members of the technical committee responsible for selecting this year's award winners; honored players; along with sports leaders and media representatives. In his opening remarks, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah stated: 'I am very pleased to be here today at Zain, this leading company that has provided tremendous and impactful support to the Kuwait Football Association over the past three years.' He added: 'I extend my sincere thanks to the Chairman, members of the Board of Directors, and Bader Al-Kharafi for this fruitful collaboration. This outstanding event and its excellent organization truly reflect their genuine commitment to the advancement of football in Kuwait.' He continued: 'It also brings me great joy to see this talented group of young players, who represent the future of Kuwaiti football. I wish them continued success and progress, to see them in the Premier League and eventually in our national teams.' He concluded: 'In collaboration with Zain, we at the KFA promise to provide even greater support in the upcoming season, which kicks off on September 14, aiming for an even more competitive and successful league. We will also place special focus on further developing the Under-20 League. Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who contributed to this success.' In his remarks during the event, Waleed Al-Khashti said: 'It is my pleasure to welcome you all to Zain's Wonderful World, where we gather to celebrate the conclusion of an exciting sports season and to honor an elite group of athletes from the 2024-2025 Zain Premier League.' He added: 'We believe that the role of the private sector in supporting youth and sports is not optional, but a national responsibility and a cornerstone for building a vibrant and ambitious society. For this reason, we remain committed to supporting and motivating sports talent to excel, so that Kuwait's name continues to shine in regional and international arenas. One clear example of this is the great success of the Khaleeji Zain 26 tournament held earlier this year, which united the GCC nations here in Kuwait.' He further stated: 'At Zain, we view sports support as more than just a marketing partnership. Our aim is to instill a spirit of achievement and contribute to building an integrated sports ecosystem that leaves a positive impact on society. We take great pride in our partnership with the Kuwait Football Association, which has resulted in key milestones in recent years, and we look forward to an even more distinguished season ahead.' He added: 'We also believe that sports is an effective platform for instilling values such as teamwork, perseverance, and discipline, values we are equally committed to fostering within our work environment at Zain.' He continued: 'Today, we honor an outstanding group of players and athletes who excelled last season, recognizing their exceptional performance on the field. We are also pleased to introduce a new addition to this event — honoring a group of talented youth players from the age categories — a gesture aimed at encouraging them at the start of their careers and nurturing their talents to become future stars.' He also said: 'I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Kuwait Football Association and the members of the technical committee who worked tirelessly with great professionalism to select this year's Excellence Award winners in a transparent manner.' He concluded: 'At Zain, we renew our deep commitment to supporting everything that helps elevate Kuwait's name, whether on the sports field or in the fields of innovation and technological progress.' This year, Zain honored winners in the following main categories, as announced at the beginning of the season: At the senior level, Mohammed Daham of Kuwait SC was named Player of the Season, receiving a prize of KD 10,000. His teammate Yousef Nasser earned the Top Local Scorer title, along with KD 5,000. Vitor Vieira from Fahaheel SC was recognized as the Top Professional Scorer, also receiving KD 5,000. The Goalkeeper of the Season award went to Saud Al-Houshan of Kuwait SC, who was awarded KD 5,000. Nebojša Jovović, also from Kuwait SC, was honored as Coach of the Season, taking home KD 3,000. The Rising Star of the Season title was awarded to Jassim Matar of Qadsia SC, with a prize of KD 2,000. Zain also celebrated standout performers in the youth divisions. In the Blue League (Under 21), Saleh Al-Mutheb of Kazma was named Best Player. His teammate Hussein Kankouni received the award for Best Goalkeeper, while Abdullah Al-Awadhi from Qadsia SC was the Top Scorer. In the Under 19 League, Fadhel Al-Sarraf of Qadsia SC claimed the Best Player title and also emerged as Top Scorer. His teammate Abdulaziz Abdeen was named Best Goalkeeper. In the Under 17 League, Abdullah Al-Rasheedi from Al-Arabi SC won Best Player. Ahmed Al-Hazzaa of Al-Salmiya SC was awarded Best Goalkeeper, and Jaber Sanan of Kazma was the league's Top Scorer. In the Under 15 League, Saad Al-Shammari of Qadsia SC was recognized as Best Player. His teammates Hussein Dashti received the Best Goalkeeper award, and Mohammed Al-Yousef earned the Top Scorer title. To ensure the highest level of transparency in the selection process, the KFA formed a technical committee at the beginning of the season, consisting of distinguished former national players and experts: Thamer Enad (Committee Head), Jamal Mubarak, Faisal Borqaba, Waleed Ali and Mubarak Al-Woqayan. Zain extended its sincere thanks and appreciation to them for their great efforts and high professionalism throughout the season. Zain expressed its pride in this partnership with the Kuwait Football Association, which has elevated the professional standards of Kuwaiti football competitions. This season, matches featured strong performances and widespread fan engagement. Zain firmly believes that the private sector plays a vital role in supporting sports and youth, not only through financial sponsorship, but by actively contributing to the creation of a sustainable sports environment that fosters excellence, innovation and higher competition levels locally. As this season concludes with the Excellence Awards, Zain reaffirms its commitment to continuing this leadership role in cooperation with the Kuwait Football Association, under a strategic partnership that includes sponsorship of the Premier League (Dawri Zain), HH the Amir's Cup, HH the Crown Prince's Cup and the First Division League. Zain affirms that its support for Kuwaiti sports will remain a fundamental pillar of its social responsibility strategy, with the goal of elevating national sports, inspiring future generations to excel, and helping Kuwaiti sports achieve honorable representation in regional and international competitions.
Arab Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait Football's brightest stars shine at Zain's annual Excellence Awards
KUWAIT CITY, June 25: Zain Kuwait, the strategic partner of the Kuwait Football Association, honored the stars of the 2024-2025 Zain Premier League (Dawri Zain) season during the annual Excellence Awards, which brought together an elite group of Kuwaiti sports stars, media figures, and sports personalities. The event marked the conclusion of the third season of Zain's strategic partnership with the KFA, reaffirming the company's commitment to supporting sports and youth in Kuwait, contributing to the development of Kuwaiti football, and encouraging players and coaching staff to achieve peak performance. The event was attended by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwait Football Association; Waleed Al-Khashti, Chief Corporate Affairs& Relations Officer at Zain Kuwait; senior KFA officials; members of the technical committee responsible for selecting this year's award winners; honored players; sports leaders; and media representatives. In his opening remarks, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah stated: 'I am very pleased to be here today at Zain, this leading company that has provided tremendous and impactful support to the Kuwait Football Association over the past three years.' He added: 'I extend my sincere thanks to the Chairman, members of the Board of Directors, and Mr. Bader Al-Kharafi for this fruitful collaboration. This outstanding event and its excellent organization truly reflect their genuine commitment to the advancement of football in Kuwait.' He continued: 'It also brings me great joy to see this talented group of young players, who represent the future of Kuwaiti football. I wish them continued success and progress, to see them in the Premier League and eventually in our national teams.' He concluded: 'In collaboration with Zain, we at the KFA promise to provide even greater support in the upcoming season, which kicks off on 14 September, aiming for an even more competitive and successful league. We will also place special focus on further developing the Under-20 League. Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who contributed to this success.' In his remarks during the event, Waleed Al-Khashti said: 'It is my pleasure to welcome you all to Wonderful World, where we gather to celebrate the conclusion of an exciting sports season and to honor an elite group of athletes from the 2024-2025 Zain Premier League.' He added: 'We believe that the role of the private sector in supporting youth and sports is not optional, but a national responsibility and a cornerstone for building a vibrant and ambitious society. For this reason, we remain committed to supporting and motivating sports talent to excel, so that Kuwait's name continues to shine in regional and international arenas. One clear example of this is the great success of the Khaleeji Zain 26 tournament held earlier this year, which united the GCC nations here in Kuwait.' He further stated: 'At Zain, we view sports support as more than just a marketing partnership. Our aim is to instill a spirit of achievement and contribute to building an integrated sports ecosystem that leaves a positive impact on society. We take great pride in our partnership with the Kuwait Football Association, which has resulted in key milestones in recent years, and we look forward to an even more distinguished season ahead.' He added: 'We also believe that sports is an effective platform for instilling values such as teamwork, perseverance, and discipline, values we are equally committed to fostering within our work environment at Zain.' He continued: 'Today, we honor an outstanding group of players and athletes who excelled last season, recognizing their exceptional performance on the field. We are also pleased to introduce a new addition to this event — honoring a group of talented youth players from the age categories — a gesture aimed at encouraging them at the start of their careers and nurturing their talents to become future stars." He also said: 'I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Kuwait Football Association and the members of the technical committee who worked tirelessly with great professionalism to select this year's Excellence Award winners transparently.' He concluded: 'At Zain, we renew our deep commitment to supporting everything that helps elevate Kuwait's name, whether on the sports field or in the fields of innovation and technological progress.' To ensure the highest level of transparency in the selection process, the KFA formed a technical committee at the beginning of the season, consisting of distinguished former national players and experts: Thamer Enad (Committee Head), Jamal Mubarak, Faisal Borqaba, Waleed Ali, and Mubarak Al-Woqayan. Zain extended its sincere thanks and appreciation to them for their great efforts and high professionalism throughout the season. Zain expressed its pride in this partnership with the Kuwait Football Association, which has elevated the professional standards of Kuwaiti football competitions. This season, matches featured strong performances and widespread fan engagement. Zain firmly believes that the private sector plays a vital role in supporting sports and youth, not only through financial sponsorship but by actively contributing to the creation of a sustainable sports environment that fosters excellence, innovation, and higher competition levels locally. As this season concludes with the Excellence Awards, Zain reaffirms its commitment to continuing this leadership role in cooperation with the Kuwait Football Association, under a strategic partnership that includes sponsorship of the Premier League (Dawri Zain), H.H. the Amir's Cup, H.H. the Crown Prince's Cup, and the First Division League. Zain affirms that its support for Kuwaiti sports will remain a fundamental pillar of its social responsibility strategy to elevate national sports, inspire future generations to excel, and help Kuwaiti sports achieve honorable representation in regional and international competitions.
Arab Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Zain proud strategic partner of KFA in driving the growth of local sports
KUWAIT CITY, 13 May 13: Zain participated in the crowning ceremony of Kuwait Sports Club as champions of the Zain Premier League (Dawri Zain) for the 2024/2025 football season, held on the sidelines of the final match of the Championship Group stage at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. The crowning of the champions was joined by the Chairman of the Kuwait Football Association, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, Zain Kuwait's Chief Corporate Affairs and Relations Officer, Waleed Al-Khashti, the Honorary President of Kuwait SC, Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Club President Khalid Al-Ghanim, club board members, and officials from both Zain and the KFA. Zain congratulated the players, management, and fans of Kuwait SC on securing the league title for the fourth consecutive year, reaffirming their status as the most decorated club in the history of the Kuwait Premier League with a total of 20 titles. The club clinched the championship during the final round of the Championship Group by defeating Al-Arabi SC 2-1. Zain also congratulated Al-Arabi SC for securing second place and Qadsia SC for achieving third place, expressing its appreciation to all participating teams for demonstrating high sportsmanship and delivering a season full of excitement that entertained thousands of fans and followers. This crowning comes as part of Zain's strategic partnership with the Kuwait Football Association, under which the company serves as the official sponsor of the Association's activities and tournaments for the 2022–2026 seasons. The partnership includes support to the Zain Premier League (Dawri Zain), the Zain First Division League, HH the Amir's Cup, and HH the Crown Prince's Cup. As the official sponsor of the KFA's activities, Zain offers seasonal prizes to players and fans, with a total value exceeding KD 60,000 per season — the highest prize value in the history of the Kuwaiti league. The company is currently preparing for its annual Excellence Awards ceremony to honor the top players and athletes of the season. Zain firmly believes in the key role the Kuwaiti private sector plays in supporting youth and sports, and in encouraging athletes to excel and elevate Kuwait's name on both regional and international stages. The company continues to fulfill this role through its consistent presence in supporting and sponsoring major sporting events and local athletes.
Arab Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Zain celebrates Dawri Zain's standout players
KUWAIT CITY, May 10: Zain presented its incentive awards to the most outstanding players in the local Premier League (Dawri Zain) during a ceremony held at its headquarters in Shuwaikh, where the Best Player of the Round awards were handed to the winners of the recent rounds of the league. The event was held in partnership with the Kuwait Football Association. The awards were presented by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwait Football Association, and Waleed Al-Khashti, Chief Corporate Affairs and Relations Officer at Zain Kuwait, in the presence of Dr. Saleh Al-Majroub, Secretary General of the Association; Thamer Enad, Head of the Technical Committee; members of the committee; and Zain officials. Zain awarded the Best Player of the Round prize of KD 500 to each of the following players: Ali Khalaf of Al-Arabi for Round 9, Eid Al-Rashidi of Al-Qadsia for Round 10, Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi of Al-Arabi for Round 11, and Salman Al-Awadhi of Al-Arabi for Round 12. Ahmed Al-Zanki of Al-Kuwait was awarded for Round 13, followed by Mohammed Daham of Al-Kuwait for Round 14, Salman Bouramya of Al-Nasr for Round 15, and Fawaz Mbeleish of Al-Nasr for Round 16. Mubarak Al-Funaini of Al-Qadsia won the award for Round 17, Jasem Al-Matar of Al-Qadsia for Round 18, Fawaz Ayed Al-Otaibi of Al-Salmiya for Round 19, Rashid Al-Dosari of Al-Qadsia for Round 20, and Mohammed Furaih of Al-Kuwait for Round 21. Before the current season began, the Kuwait Football Association formed a technical committee comprising former international players with extensive experience to establish the criteria for selecting the winners of Zain's incentive awards. The committee is chaired by Thamer Enad and includes Jamal Mubarak, Faisal Bourgba, Waleed Ali, and Mubarak Al-Wuqayan. For the third consecutive season, Zain continues to fulfill its promise to support athletes, players, and fans through its incentive awards. The company offers the largest prize pool in the history of the local league, exceeding KD 60,000 per season. This initiative aims to encourage emerging athletic talent, motivate players to perform at their highest level, and present the league in the best possible light to loyal Kuwaiti fans. This support reflects Zain's belief in the importance of the Kuwaiti private sector's role in supporting and developing local sports and elevating it to new levels. These incentives have contributed to the league's strong performance in recent seasons, raising the level of play, adding more excitement and energy to the matches, and providing a renewed experience for fans and football lovers. Zain's incentive awards this season include KD 10,000 for the Best Player of the Season, KD 500 per round for the Best Player of the Round, KD 5,000 for the Top Scorer in the professionals category, and KD 5,000 for the Top Scorer in the locals category. The awards also include KD 5,000 for the Best Goalkeeper of the Season, KD 3,000 for the Best Coach, KD 2,000 for the Best Rising Star, and KD 1,000 for the Best Photo of the Season. Zain is also awarding prizes exceeding KD 10,000 to winners of the Zain Fantasy League, an interactive digital competition that brings Kuwaiti football into the digital space and aims to engage fans creatively and innovatively.
