Al Duhail, Al Rayyan and Al Arabi were placed in the same group for QSL Cup, the draw for which took place in Doha on Wednesday.
Qatar SC, Al Ahli and Al Shahania are also the part of tough Group A in the tournament that begins on August 30. The Qatar Stars League (QSL) conducted the draw at its headquarters in Al Bidda Tower, in the presence of Director of Competitions Department at QSL Ahmed Salman al-Adsani and Head of Football Operations at QSL Ahmed Abdullah al-Sayed, and club representatives.
The Group B includes Al Gharafa, Al Wakrah, Umm Salal, Al Shamal and Al Khor. The competing clubs were divided into two groups based on their final standings in the 2023-2024 season league championship.
Qatar’s most successful club Al Sadd will not be participating in the 2024/24 edition and have “apologized” for their absence, the tournament’s organisers said on Wednesday. Teams will play each other within their groups in a league format and the top two placed sides will qualify for the semi-finals.
The Technical Meeting for the tournament was also held in the presence of representatives of QSL, competing clubs and Referees Department of Qatar Football Association.
The tournament’s conditions and regulations were reviewed, organisational procedures were discussed and guidelines for match day operations were emphasised. Team kits (main and reserve) were also finalised.
The QSL Cup has experienced several issues with teams withdrawing before the tournament due to problems with squad depth and scheduling conflicts, as many matches take place during the winter break.
This scheduling quirk often sees top teams fielding their reserve players, which can shift the advantage to mid-table and lower-table teams in the competition.
Al Gharafa stands as the most decorated team in the tournament’s history, with three titles to their name. Al Sadd and Al Sailiya each have two cup wins. Last year, Umm Salal secured their first title since 2009 by triumphing over Al Arabi 3-1 in a dramatic tie-breaker, adding a new chapter to their trophy cabinet.
Draw
Group A: Al Rayyan, Al Arabi, Al Duhail, Qatar SC, Al Ahli, Al Shahania.
Group B: Al Gharafa, Al Wakrah, Umm Salal, Al Shamal, Al Khor.
