An exceptional reward awaits the winner of the best player award at the 27th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup, "Gulf 27".
Saudi Arabia meet the UAE at the Al-Inmaa Stadium in Jeddah today, Tuesday, in the final of the Arabian Gulf Cup.
Just hours before kick-off, the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation revealed that the tournament's best player will walk away with a housing unit. The identity of the winner will be announced immediately after the final.
The Gulf Federation also confirmed the award will be named after Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, in recognition of his contributions to Gulf sport and his historic role in the idea of launching the Gulf Cup.
The statement said: "The Gulf Football Federation has announced the naming of the best player award in the (Gulf Al-Diyar Al-Arabiya 27) tournament after His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Emir of the Makkah Region, in recognition of His Highness's contributions to the journey of Gulf sport, and the association of his name with the history of the Arabian Gulf Cup since its inception."
It added: "Prince Khalid Al-Faisal is the originator of the idea of holding the Arabian Gulf Cup football tournament, which His Highness proposed in 1968 when he was Director General of Youth Welfare, before the idea became reality with the launch of the first edition in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 1970. The tournament has continued its journey for more than five decades as one of the most prominent sporting occasions bringing together the people of the Gulf states."
It continued: "The naming of the best player award in the 27th edition after Prince Khalid Al-Faisal came on an initiative from Al-Diyar Al-Arabiya, the official sponsor of the tournament, and with the approval of the Gulf Football Federation."
It went on: "The player who wins the award will receive a housing unit provided by Al-Diyar Al-Arabiya, in recognition of his distinction during the tournament's competitions."
It concluded: "The winner of the Prince Khalid Al-Faisal best player award is set to be announced following the final of Gulf Al-Diyar Al-Arabiya 27, which brings together Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as part of the ceremony to crown the tournament's champions and honour the winners of the individual awards."