Royal Court football tourney reaches quarterfinal stage

Muscat, OCT 24

Eight teams qualified for the quarterfinals of the 13th Royal Court Affairs Units Football Championship, which kicked off on September 29 at the Royal Court Affairs Stadium in Al Khoudh.

As many as 19 teams are competing in the championship, divided into four groups. The first group included the Royal Yachts, Royal Opera House, Directorate-General of Human Resources, Royal Cavalry and Office of the Secretary-General.

The second group included the Directorate-General of Transport, Directorate-General of Veterinary Services, Royal Camel Corps, Oasis Club, and Royal Hospitality.

The third group included the Royal Court Affairs Security Unit, Directorate-General of Supply, Royal Gardens and Farms, Oman Across Age Museum, and Directorate-General of Audit. The fourth group consisted of Royal Establishments, the Directorate-General of Information and Communication, the Royal Aviation, and Directorate-General of Financial Affairs.

The qualified teams are: Royal Cavalry with 10 points, General Directorate of Human Resources with 9 points, General Directorate of Transport with a full 12 points, Royal Camel Corps team with 7 points, Royal Court Affairs Security Unit with a full 12 points, Royal Gardens and Farms with 9 points, Royal Aviation with 7 points, and Directorate General of Information Technology with 6 points.

Mohammed bin Rashid al Faliti, head of the technical committee, said: “The 13th edition came in a different way after a four-year hiatus, as it witnessed many technical amendments. The tournament sought to focus on other important aspects, such as qualifying the coaches by involving them in Oman Football Association’s courses to raise their efficiency and experiences.”

Abdullah bin Mohammed al Hilali, a former international referee and supervisor, said: “The number of referees was 10, including 5 field referees and 5 assistant referees. The main focus was on involving a number of qualified employees to referee the matches and giving them the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities.”

On the other side, the 13th Football Championship for the Royal Court Affairs Units in the Wilayat of Salalah kicked off on October 20, with the participation of 12 teams divided into 4 groups.