The UAE National Team has named its 26-man squad and started training in Abu Dhabi, preparing for a tough group at the upcoming Gulf Cup in Jeddah. With Qatar, Bahrain, and Yemen in their group, every session now matters as the team works to be ready for the challenge ahead.
The UAE's final squad for the 2026 Gulf Cup includes 16 naturalized players, with four making their debut in this tournament: Yuri Cesar, Guilherme Bala, Amadou Coulibaly, and Osman Kamara.
The team is training daily at the Ritz Carlton pitch in Abu Dhabi and will stay in camp until leaving for Jeddah on 21 September. Their first match is against Yemen on 24 September at King Abdullah Sports City. Next, they face Bahrain on 27 September at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, and finish the group stage against Qatar on 30 September, again at King Abdullah Sports City.
Head coach Zlatko Dalic officially announced the UAE squad on 13 September 2026, naming goalkeepers Khalid Eisa, Hamad Al-Makbali, and Fahad Al-Dhanhani, as well as outfield players such as Marcus Meloni, Lucas Pimenta, Fabio Lima, Nicolas Gimenez, Ali Saleh, and Sultan Adel. The group stage schedule is set: UAE faces Yemen on 24 September, Bahrain on 27 September, and Qatar on 30 September, all in Jeddah.
While the UAE's football team is in the spotlight, Abu Dhabi is also hosting major international basketball events, adding to the city's reputation as a sports hub. But for now, attention is on the national football team and whether Dalic's squad can deliver results at the Gulf Cup.
With the fixtures set and training underway, the UAE's campaign will depend on discipline, tactical focus, and the ability to handle pressure. The technical staff's direct approach is a shift from past routines, but the real test comes in Jeddah, where only results will matter. If the UAE advances, it will be because Dalic's selections and the federation's new approach have met the demands of Gulf competition.
