DOHA — Gulf Cup organizers will officially announce early next week that the tournament will be played in Kuwait not Qatar after overcoming political and administrative obstacles, a senior official said Saturday.

We will officially announce it on Monday (Dec. 11), said Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) general secretary Jassim Al-Rumaihi.

It was originally scheduled to take place in Kuwait last year, but that country's football association was suspended by FIFA in October 2015 over alleged government meddling in sports.

After Kuwait's suspension, the tournament was switched to Qatar. A bitter dispute erupted on June 5 when Qatar was diplomatically isolated by a quartet of neighboring countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain over alleged support for terrorist groups.

Qatar denies the allegations, but the dispute has now continued for more than six months.

In November, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain were withdrawn from the tournament after failing to respond to an invite to take part from the Doha-based AGCFF.

However a breakthrough came earlier this month when FIFA lifted Kuwait's suspension after the national parliament adopted a law meant to end government interference in the sport.

That cleared the way to move the tournament back to its original host. Following the lifting of Kuwait's suspension, the Qatar Football Association said it was willing for the tournament to go ahead in Kuwait.

The move has been backed by FIFA chief Gianni Infantino who said he would attend the tournament's opening games.

It will take place at exactly the same dates, the 22nd of December to the fifth of January, Al-Rumaihi said, the first confirmation from a Gulf Cup official that the competition would go ahead.

He added that organizers were still waiting for confirmation from the federations of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, but it is widely expected they will now take part in the eight-team competition.

The Gulf Cup is usually played every two years between Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Qatar are the current holders. A draw for the tournament took place in September, which saw Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar and Yemen placed in Group A. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE make up Group B. — AFP