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Observer
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Observer
Oman U-23 gears up for Asian qualifiers
MUSCAT, JUNE 27 The newly elected Oman Football Association Chairman, Sayyid Sulaiman bin Hamood al Busaidy, attended the Olympic football team training sessions on Thursday at Royal Oman Court Affairs stadium in Al Khoudh, as part of the team's preparations for the upcoming AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers which is scheduled to take place in early September. The chief of OFA was briefed by the coaching staff of the team headed by coach Badar al Maimani and his assistant Sultan al Touqi on the team's programme for the last period and the forthcoming phase ahead of the qualifiers campigan start. The team began their domestic camp in Muscat on Monday and will run until Wednesday. Coach Badar opted 24 players for this camp including two players from UAE's youth league as he called Hamed al Naimi (Al Majd SC) and Mazin al Harrasi (Aldhafra FC). The 10 days camp included mostly from the evening training sessions as the coaching staff are putting their tactics on the selected names of the squad and they will finalise the list ahead of the qualifiers star. The Oman Olympic U-23 national football team concluded earlier this month ten-day overseas training camp in Russia. The Moscow's gathering camp featured three friendly matches including two against the Russia Olympic team and one against Saturn Ramenskoye FC. The first match ended in a 1-0 loss for Oman, followed by a goalless draw in the second encounter. The final match against Saturn Ramenskoye FC ended with a narrow 1-0 win for the latter. Despite the match results, coaching staff assessed the player readiness, experiment with lineups and address both offensive and defensive strategies. Furthermore, the players gained valuable experience competing against strong international sides and the camp enhanced team cohesion and on-field communication. Oman team will compete in Group F alongside Iraq, Pakistan and hosts Cambodia at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers. The qualification matches will run from September 1 to 9, with Oman opening their campaign against Cambodia on September 3, facing Iraq on September 6 and concluding against Pakistan on September 9. The group winners and the best four runners-up across all groups will qualify for the finals, joining the host nation Saudi Arabia. Prior to the Russia camp, Oman completed a domestic training phase in Muscat in May and the internal camp featured two warm-up matches including a 2-1 loss to the Royal Court Affairs team and a goalless draw with the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO). Squad: Jawad al Azi, Osama al Mahrouqi, Nasser al Saqri, Sameer al Hatmi, Said al Ghanbousi, Mohammed Abdulhakim, Abdulaziz al Shaqsi, Loqman al Jadidi, Essa al Buraidi, Rashad al Dhaeen, Osama Majdi, Ziyad al Rasbi, Mohammed al Oraibi, Nayef Faraj, Sultan al Marzooq, Turki Abdullah, Ahed al Mashakheyi, Abdulaleem al Rawahi, Ali al Balushi, Abdulhadi al Manwari, Ibrahim al Kindi, Masoud al Bahri, Hamed al Naimi and Mazin al Harrasi.
Observer
3 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Sayyid Sulaiman elected OFA Chairman for 2025–2029 term
Muscat: Sayyid Sulaiman bin Hamoud al Busaidi was elected as Chairman of the Oman Football Association (OFA) for the 2025–2029 term during the association's extraordinary general assembly meeting held in Muscat on Wednesday. Sayyid Sulaiman secured the presidency after receiving 30 out of 43 votes cast by the member clubs and stakeholders of the OFA. Eng Qutaiba al Ghailani was elected Vice-Chairman of the OFA's Board of Directors. Meanwhile, this election marked a pivotal moment for the future of Oman's football with the incoming board expected to lead strategic efforts on both domestic and international events. The newly-appointed chairman of OFA and his members will have major responsibilities in the coming period including the national team which are currently in a crucial phase. Red Warriors will aim to secure a historic qualification spot in the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 Playoffs which will take place in coming October. In addition, the national team is scheduled to compete in the Arab Cup and CIS Asian event. At the youth level, the Olympic team will prepare for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers which is an important milestone in Oman's football development pathway.
Observer
3 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Sayyid Sulaiman elected as chairman of OFA
MUSCAT: Sayyid Sulaiman bin Hamood al Busaidy was elected as the new Chairman of the Oman Football Association (OFA) for the 2025–2029 term. Sayyid Sulaiman secured 30 out of 43 votes while his opponent, Dr Jassim bin Mohammed al Shukaili, received 13 votes, during the general assembly meeting on Wednesday. The election, conducted through an advanced digital voting system under supervision of OFA election committee and Fifa representative, witnessed attendance of 43 member clubs present. The process commenced with a roll call and proceeded smoothly under the supervision of the OFA Election Committee and Fifa representative Hasan Hassan, and Shaheen Rahimi from Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Salim al Wahaibi, the former OFA chairman, delivered a speech ahead of the election process, highlighting the achievements of the previous board and emphasising the importance of the next phase of the association to ensure the continuous development of Oman's football. New OFA chairman celebrates after announcing the results In the race for the Vice-Chairman position, Qutaiba bin Said al Ghailani was elected after receiving 22 votes, surpassing Nasr bin Hamood al Wahaibi and Sayyid Musallam bin Salim al Busaidy who received 12 and 9 votes respectively. Hajar bint Khamis al Muzainiyah was elected to the women's representative after gaining 25 votes while her fellow candidate Fatma bint Ibrahim al Fazariyah secured 18 votes. The former Oman Olympic coach and former national team player, Mohammed bin Khamis al Oraimi, was elected as representative of the players in the OFA board. As for the Board Member positions, Abdullah bin Salim al Shanfari, Abdullah bin Ali al Rashdi, and Ali bin Ahmed al Kathiri received 21, 19 and 16 votes respectively. The election process commenced under the supervision of the OFA Election Committee and Fifa representative DOORS OPEN FOR ALL Following his election, Sayyid Sulaiman expressed his gratitude to the General Assembly members for their confidence and support. He also extended appreciation to the outgoing Board, chaired by Al Wahaibi, acknowledging their significant efforts and contributions to Omani football. In his remarks, Al Busaidy highlighted the smooth organisation of the electoral process and praised the work of the Election Committee, in addition to thanking the media for their comprehensive coverage. "The doors of OFA are open to all technical experts and specialists. We will soon form specialised committees and we welcome everyone with the passion and expertise to contribute to the development of Oman's football. Our priorities will focus on elevating the top-tier league, enhancing all domestic competitions, and introducing a new Olympic league. We will work in partnership with the General Assembly to ensure continued progress." Sayyid Sulaiman said Also, he emphasised that the national team will remain the top strategic priority. Hajar al Muzaini (L) wins OFA's women seat 'Oman team are currently in the playoff qualification stage and it is in our top priorities to work for the historic qualification for the Fifa World Cup. There will be a discussions with the technical and coaching staff in the coming days to chart the path forward,' he added 'I already presented my vision for the development of Omani football to the club presidents during pre-election visits across the Sultanate of Oman. However, I refrained from sharing it with the public prior to the elections to ensure full focus on the national team and to maintain neutrality. There is a clear vision and I will share it with the public through a dedicated media and press conference soon," he said.
Times of Oman
3 days ago
- Sport
- Times of Oman
World Cup qualification ‘top priority', says newly elected OFA chairman
Muscat: Newly elected Oman Football Association (OFA) Chairman Sayyid Sulaiman bin Hamoud Al Busaidi has declared 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification as the association's foremost goal, pledging a strategic push toward raising Oman's international football profile. 'Qualifying for the World Cup is our top priority and a shared ambition. We will focus intensely on this goal and will soon convene with the national team's technical and administrative staff,' said Al Busaidi in his first remarks after securing the presidency for the 2025–2029 term on Wednesday. 'We will also work to develop local competitions, secure appropriate support, and establish an Olympic-category league to deepen our footballing base.' Al Busaidi won the election with 30 out of 43 votes cast by eligible club representatives from the 49 clubs during the OFA Extraordinary General Assembly held Tuesday at the OFA headquarters in Seeb. Al Busaidi defeated his only rival Dr Jassim bin Mohammed Al Shukaili for the chairmanship. The election marked a new chapter for the sport in the Sultanate, with the leadership transition carried out via FIFA-approved electronic voting for the first time in the association's history —part of a broader initiative to increase transparency and speed in the electoral process. The General Assembly opened with the verification of a legal quorum, followed by approval of the agenda. The outgoing chairman, Sheikh Salim Said Al Wahaibi, delivered his farewell speech, reflecting on the achievements of his two-term tenure. 'The partnership between the association and the clubs is the foundation for football's success and development in the Sultanate. I urge everyone to continue working together and contributing fruitfully to elevate Omani football to new heights,' he said. Al Wahaibi emphasised that the primary objective throughout his leadership was 'to advance the Omani football system in all its components, particularly competitions, national teams, and refereeing, and to build effective bridges of cooperation with various partners at both local and international levels.' Following the chairman's election, Eng. Qutaiba Said Al Ghailani was elected Deputy Chairman, receiving 22 votes. Hajar Khamis Al Muzaini secured the board's female seat with 25 votes. The three board members elected were Abdullah Salim Al Shanfari, Abdullah Ali Al Rashidi, and Ali Hamad Al Kathiri. Mohammed Khamis Al Araimi was unanimously selected as the players' representative to the board, after being nominated by the Football Players' Association to complete the board of directors for the 2025–2029 term. The OFA's basic law includes regulations governing candidacy and membership. Article 39 prohibits dual roles, barring board members from simultaneously holding positions in club boards, judicial committees, or electoral bodies. Those assuming conflicting roles must resign and document their resignation within seven days of election, or their OFA membership is voided. Additionally, Article 37(4) restricts the presidency or board membership to a maximum of two terms, consecutive or otherwise, reinforcing administrative rotation and opportunities for new leadership. Al Busaidi emphasised that his board will aim for both international competitiveness and domestic development, signaling a broad-based reform agenda ahead.
Times of Oman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Sayyid Suleiman Al Busiadi elected new Oman Football Association chairman
MUSCAT: Sayyid Suleiman bin Hamood Al Busaidi was on Wednesday elected as the new Oman Football Association (OFA) chairman. The Al Shabab Club representative defeated his only rival Dr Jassim bin Mohammed Al Shukaili by garnering 30 votes out of 43 at the OFA Extraordinary General Assembly on Wednesday tp elect a new board for the 2025–2029 term. Sayyid Suleiman succeeds Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi, who concluded two successful terms. Qutaiba bin Said Al Ghailani won the post of vice-chairman. He defeated Sayyid Musallam bin Salim Al Busaidi and Nasr bin Hamood Al Wahaibi for the post. Qutaiba, a representative of Al Arouba Club, garnered 22 votes to win the seat. Hajar bint Khamis Al Mujaini won the lone spot for the women's seat in the board with 25 votes. Counting is still on for the remaining posts.
