Scuffles break out and national anthems booed in Saudi-UAE football match

Scuffles erupted and national anthems were met with boos during the ill-tempered Gulf Cup final between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday in Jeddah. Saudi fans inside the stadium jeered and chanted throughout the Emirati national anthem, while UAE goalkeeper head-shaked in apparent disapproval. Footage showed Emirati fans singing loudly through the Saudi anthem, while Saudi fans threw bags at them.

Just before the final whistle, Saudi fans hurled bottles at UAE players, with one UAE player retaliating by throwing a bottle back. Referee Jalal Jayed issued three yellow cards for unsportsmanlike conduct before sending off UAE substitute Khaled Ibrahim, who had not even played the game. For shoving an assistant referee during a scuffle between the teams.

Footage outside the stadium showed Emirati fans throwing punches and kicking someone on the ground, though Middle East Eye could not independently verify the footage. This incident is not the first time Emirati fans have been involved in violent scenes; in October last year, they were seen throwing objects at Qatari players celebrating a goal.

Some social media users suggested that the tense scenes could be linked to broader Gulf tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who have been at odds over issues such as oil production and conflicts in Sudan and Yemen.