Bahrain Football Association officials named a 23-player squad on 15 October for the second edition of the GFF U17 Gulf Cup. The roster includes Khalid Hassan, Uros Kovacevic, Mohammed Khalid, Hussain Al Majed, Adnan Bu Ali, Karar Huwaida, Komail Al Satraoui, Eyad Mustafa, Mohammed Salah, Ali Al Moallem, Ahmed Hani, Mohammed Attiya, Hamad Al Hajiri, Bader Abdulaziz, Mohammed Al Mulhem, Isa Al Malki, Haitham Shafi, Abbas Mohammed, Mohammed Al Hasouni, Ibrahim Talfat, Hussain Zainaldeen, Jassim Binjumai, Mohammed Al Jazzaf, Omran Adel, and Hussain Zuhair. Bahrain begins tournament play in Group A with an opening match against the UAE. This fixture takes place on 15 October at 8pm at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar. The Bahrain Football Association confirmed that this 23-player squad was finalized specifically for the second edition of the GFF U17 Gulf Cup. The opening match against the UAE on 15 October at 8pm at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium serves as the team's first competitive test in this regional competition.
New Leadership and Squad
Khalid Hassan assumed the role of head coach for the Bahrain U17 team. The Bahrain Football Association made this leadership change following the dismissal of Uros Kovacevic. Management selected Khalid Hassan to lead the squad ahead of the GFF U17 Gulf Cup tournament. He oversees the 23-player roster as the team begins play in Group A. The coaching transition marks a shift in the technical staff for the national youth program. Bahrain officials finalized the appointment to prepare the team for the opening match against the UAE. Khalid Hassan now directs training sessions and match strategies in Doha. The appointment of Khalid Hassan as head coach follows the formal dismissal of Uros Kovacevic from the position.
Tournament Schedule and Format
Ten teams are participating in the GFF U17 Gulf Cup, which consists of 23 matches in total. Tournament organizers have scheduled the final match for 4 November at Grand Hamad Stadium. The competition features these 10 teams playing a total of 23 matches throughout the event. The final match is confirmed to take place on 4 November at Grand Hamad Stadium.
Bahrain faces a series of group stage fixtures following its opening game. The team is set to play against Qatar on 19 October, followed by a match against China on 22 October. Bahrain concludes its initial group schedule with a game against Oman on 28 October.
The GFF U17 Gulf Cup serves as a preparatory event for the 2027 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers. These qualifiers are hosted in Oman and run from 8 November to 20 November. Participating in these matches allows the team to prepare for the 2027 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, which are scheduled to be held in Oman from 8 November to 20 November.