Everything you need to know about the Gulf Champions League for Clubs 2026-2027 draw
The draw for the third edition of the Gulf Champions League for clubs (2026-2027) takes place Monday, August 24, 2026, via video conference, featuring 12 clubs from eight nations.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
The Gulf Football Union will conduct the 2026-2027 Gulf Champions League draw on August 24, 2026, distributing 12 clubs across four tiers based on AFC rankings in the tournament's largest edition since launch.
Imagine eight Gulf countries each sending their best football teams to play in one big tournament. There are now 12 teams, sorted into four buckets, and a video call on August 24 decides who plays whom. The games run from October 2026 all the way to April 2027.
Analysis
Twelve clubs, four tiers
The 2026-2027 Gulf Champions League will feature 12 clubs distributed across four tiers of three teams each, based on the Asian Football Confederation's classification of member-association clubs for the season. Tier 1 includes Saudi Arabia's Al-Ettifaq and NEOM alongside the UAE's Al-Nasr. Tier 2 brings together Ajman (UAE), Al-Duhail (Qatar), and Qatar SC. Tier 3 features Iraq's Arbil and Al-Zawraa alongside Oman's Al-Shabab, while Tier 4 consists of Bahrain's Al-Riffa, Kuwait's Kazma, and Yemen's Shaab Hadramawt. The 12 clubs will be split into three groups of four, with the regulation that no two clubs from the same country can be drawn into the same group, a constraint that effectively forces cross-national matchups throughout the group stage.
Shaab Hadramawt's historic debut
The third edition marks the largest field in the tournament's history, an expansion from 8 to 12 clubs. Shaab Hadramawt's appearance represents Yemen's first-ever entry in the competition after the club topped the domestic league standings. Qatar's Al-Duhail and Qatar SC also make their tournament debuts despite each carrying eight Qatari league titles. Iraq's Al-Zawraa brings the most decorated pedigree with 14 domestic crowns, accompanied by four-time champion Arbil, and the Iraqi clubs are making their third consecutive appearance after Duhok featured in the inaugural edition and Zakho in the second. Saudi Arabia's NEOM is also a newcomer, qualifying by finishing eighth in last season's Saudi Pro League, while Al-Ettifaq returns for a second appearance after the inaugural edition, and Al-Nasr (UAE), a three-time domestic champion, also makes its second appearance.
October 13 kickoff to April 30 finale
The competition timeline stretches roughly seven months, from October 2026 through April 2027. The group stage opens October 13, 2026, and concludes February 17, 2027, played in a two-round home-and-away format. The top two finishers in each group, plus the two best third-placed teams across the three groups, advance to the knockout stage. The quarter-finals are scheduled for March 2-17, 2027, and the semi-finals plus final follow between April 23 and April 30, 2027. The draw itself takes place Monday, August 24, 2026, at 12:00 PM Mecca and Doha time via video conference from the Gulf Football Union headquarters, with clubs learning their group-stage opponents and bracket path in a single sitting.
Key points
- Draw held Monday, August 24, 2026 at 12:00 PM Mecca and Doha time via video conference from Gulf Football Union headquarters
- 12 clubs from eight countries distributed across four tiers of three based on AFC rankings
- Tournament expands from 8 to 12 clubs, marking the largest edition since launch
- Group stage runs October 13, 2026 through February 17, 2027; final scheduled April 30, 2027
- Shaab Hadramawt, Al-Duhail, Qatar SC, and NEOM make their tournament debuts
