Qtel announced as official telecommunications partner for 19th Gulf Cup

Working with Nawras and Wataniya Telecom, the telecommunications leader will provide a full range of services to enable the Gulf Cup to continue its development as one of the most eagerly-anticipated tournaments in the Middle East.

For the next edition, the Gulf Cup will again have a major football tournament as its centrepiece and will also host competitive matches for basketball, handball and volleyball.

As the former host and champion in 2004, Qatar is aiming to win back its crown from the United Arab Emirates, 2007 winner of the competition.

Adel Al Mutawa, Executive Director, Group Communications, Qtel, said:

"The 2009 edition of the Gulf Cup is set to provide a hugely exciting spectacle for spectators across the region, and we are confident that it will attract some of the largest and most passionate crowds in the event's long history. As Official Telecommunications Partner, Qtel will employ its full range of resources to engage and excite the widest possible audience."

Founded in 1968, the Gulf Cup has become a major sporting event of whole region, drawing large groups of supporters from different GCC countries to support the progress of their national teams throughout the two-week event.

Khalid Ibrahim A Al Mahmoud, Chief Operations Officer, Nawras, added: "All of Oman is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to host the 19th Gulf Cup. Nawras will provide full support for the communications efforts to ensure that the 2009 event is the most successful in its history."

Tatxo Benet, Member of the Board and Managing Director, The Mediapro Group, which manages the commercial aspects for the 2009 event, said: "We are delighted to unveil Qtel as the Official Telecommunications Partner for the 19th Edition of the Gulf Cup. Qtel's strong sporting roots and its reach across the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia provides us with an important opportunity to take the games to fans across the region."

Al Jazeera Sports channel has exclusive rights to broadcast the Cup for 2009, and will work closely with all the partners to ensure the widest possible audience.

Qtel has a distinguished history of supporting sporting events within Qatar, and, as the company has grown internationally, it has extended its support to a range of regional and international events.

Earlier this month, the company was named as named as sponsor for the next AFC Asian Cup tournament and the Asian Champions League.

For the 2009 Cup, Qtel will offer a broad range of content and mobile services to bring the full experience to sports fans across the region.

The 19th Gulf Cup will run from 2nd to 17th January 2009.

Future editions are set to take place in Yemen (2011) and Iraq will host the 21st edition in 2013.