Excitement is mounting ahead of the semi-finals of the 50th edition of Amir Cup, which will be played tomorrow with the eagerly-awaited title clash set to take place on Friday. The organisers have made special preparations for the final to celebrate the golden jubilee of the country’s most popular football tournament.
The winners of the prestigious tournament is honoured by the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, which makes the trophy very special for players, taking the best out of participating teams.
The iconic Khalifa International Stadium – one of the eight FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 venues – will play host to the final, and the organising committee has promised a carnival atmosphere “with many surprises” for fans during the match. In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, the organisers have said they will follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health and the concerned authorities to ensure health safety of all stakeholders during the match.
With 75 percent of the total capacity of 45000-seater Khalifa International Stadium allowed for the final, the sale of tickets which started on March 1 is receiving a massive response. The organising committee of the final has advised the fans to book their tickets at the earliest.
Doha giants Al Sadd, who are seeking a record-extending 19th Amir Cup crown, will be the team to beat again in this edition. The Wolves are the two-time defending champions and are dominant this season too. The team, coached by Javi Gracia, has recently retained their QNB Stars League (QSL) title and culminated their season in the top flight with a record 49-match unbeaten streak.
But they face a tough task in the semi-final as they will play QSL runners-up and title-contenders Al Duhail in the semi-final. In-form Al Wakrah, who will play Al Gharafa in the other semi-final, have also emerged as one of the title contenders after their dream season in the QSL, where they finished third.
The remaining three matches of the Amir Cup will also feature several Qatar national team stars including Akram Afif, Hassan Al Haydos, Abdelkarim Hassan, Almoez Ali and Karim Boudiaf, adding colours to the football carnival.
With the stakes so high, these matches will surely produce thrilling action that will provide a fitting end to the landmark edition of Qatar’s top football tournament.
