Red Warriors gear up for Türkiye camp, Cafa Challenge

MUSCAT: The Oman national football team concluded on Friday night a short and intense domestic training camp on a successful note under the guidance of newly appointed head coach Carlos Queiroz. The local camp, which ran from Wednesday to Friday, formed the foundation of the team’s long-term preparations for the all-important AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to the Fifa World Cup 2026.

The training sessions took place at Seeb Stadium and the gymnasium facility at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. Spanning over three focused sessions, the players were put through their paces in a mix of physical conditioning, technical drills and tactical simulations. The sessions allowed Queiroz and his coaching staff to closely observe the players, fine-tune strategies and lay the groundwork for the upcoming stages of preparation.

The sessions allowed Queiroz and his coaching staff to closely observe the players.

This domestic gathering marked Queiroz’s first on-field engagement with the Oman national team since taking over as technical manager and replacing coach Rasheed Jaber. The camp served as a valuable opportunity to assess the current squad and begin the process of shaping the final team for the decisive qualifiers. Oman are set to face Qatar on October 8 and the UAE on October 11 in Group A of the final round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers, with all matches to be hosted in Doha.

The camp saw full participation from the called-up players, with the exception of those from Seeb Club, who are preparing for their 2025/2026 AFC Champions League Two qualifiers encounter against Sporting Clube de Goa (SCG) of India on August 13. The training sessions witnessed the return of goalkeeper Ibrahim al Mukhaini, who rejoined the squad for the first time since the Gulf Cup final in Kuwait. Al Mukhaini, who had been recovering from injury, impressed with his sharpness alongside fellow goalkeepers Fayez al Rushaidi and Abdulmalik al Badri.

The camp served as a valuable opportunity to assess the current squad.

Also participating were international players Al Mundher al Alawi and Essam al Subhi, who play their club football in Iraq, showcasing the growing regional presence of Omani talent.

Coach Queiroz emphasised to the players, the importance of translating their commitment on the training pitch into tangible results on the international stage.

Following the conclusion of the domestic camp, the Red Warriors are now set to travel to Türkiye on August 19 for an overseas training camp. This next phase is expected to include several friendly matches to enhance match fitness and team chemistry.

Subsequently, the team will fly to Uzbekistan to participate in the 2025 Cafa Nations League, to be held from August 26 to September 9. Oman have been drawn in Group A alongside host nation Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Group B consists of Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and India following Malaysia’s withdrawal.