On an exceptional football night witnessed at Jaber International Stadium, Kuwait SC was crowned champion of the Emir Cup in its sixty-third edition, following its well-deserved victory over its counterpart Al-Arabi with a score of 2-0, in the final match that took place on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. This victory was not just a championship win, but was a declaration of the absolute dominance of “Al-Ameed” over the local football scene.
With this precious victory, Kuwait SC raised its tally to 17 titles in the history of the most prestigious domestic competition, equaling the all-time record held by its traditional rival, Al-Qadsia SC, and surpassing Al-Arabi SC, whose tally remains at 16 titles. This championship completes Kuwait SC's historic quadruple this season, having already secured the Premier League, the Super Cup, and the Crown Prince Cup, reminiscent of its previous golden achievement in the 2015-2016 season and reaffirming its dominance of Kuwaiti football over the past decade.
Details of the decisive confrontation
Kuwait started the match strongly and with high concentration, managing to settle matters early in the first half. Veteran striker Yousef Nasser opened the scoring in the fifth minute from a penalty kick awarded by Romanian referee Stefan Kovacs after a foul committed by Algerian Nabil Marmouk. Before the end of the first half, star player Mohammed Daham extended his team's lead with a second goal in the 39th minute with a brilliant touch and a precise shot, making the task even more difficult for Al-Arabi.
On the other side, Al Arabi tried to get back into the game, and they dominated possession for much of the match. Hassimi Fadiga almost equalized early on, but was unlucky not to score. In the second half, Al Arabi intensified their attacks through their Nigerian professionals, Ayewala and Christopher, but the brilliance of Kuwait's goalkeeper, Saud Al-Houshan, proved to be an impenetrable barrier, thwarting Al Arabi's hopes. He defended his goal valiantly and made several crucial saves.
Match turning points and historical context
The final minutes were fraught with tension, negatively impacting Al Arabi. The referee showed a red card to Abdulaziz Nassari in the 77th minute, followed by another red card for defender Jumaa Aboud in the 89th minute, effectively ending Al Arabi's hopes of a comeback. Meanwhile, coach Nebojsa managed the game with tactical acumen, reinforcing his defense with Sami Al-Sanea to preserve the result.
The Emir Cup holds special significance in Kuwaiti sports circles, as it is the season's final tournament and bears the name of the Emir, lending it considerable official and popular prestige. Kuwait SC's seventeenth title marks a pivotal moment in the history of the three-way rivalry between Kuwait SC, Al-Qadsia, and Al-Arabi. This achievement reflects a significant shift in the balance of power in recent years in favor of "Al-Ameed" (Kuwait SC), who have become a formidable force domestically thanks to their administrative and technical stability and the quality of their professional players. This puts additional pressure on their rivals in the coming seasons to try and break this dominance.
