Sunday 17 / May / 2026
Muscat: Three straight domestic top-flight football league titles. Continental glory. A thriving academy. Dominance across multiple sports. But for Seeb Club, the mission is far from complete.
Days after Seeb were crowned Oman Professional League champions, club chairman His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said said Seeb’s modern success story results from a long-term sporting project rooted in patience, belief and relentless work — not short-term ambition.
Speaking with pride and conviction, the chairman stressed that the club has always viewed sport as a national responsibility before it became a race for trophies.
“At Seeb, we believe sport is a national message before it is a competition for titles or podiums,” HH Sayyid Shihab told Times of Oman on Saturday.
“Our goal has always been to make Seeb a bright gateway for Omani sport in the Gulf, Arab and Asian arenas, and to raise the flag of Oman with pride in every competition.”
Yet amid the celebrations, he warned that remaining at the top is the hardest challenge of all.
“What we have achieved over the past years makes us proud, but it also doubles our responsibility,” he said. “Maintaining success is far more difficult than reaching it. It requires greater administrative, financial, technical and fan support, as well as continuous hard work and dedication.”
“We waited a long time”
The chairman reflected on the historic achievements of Seeb’s men’s football team since 2019 — a period that has transformed the club into the dominant force in Omani football.
During that span, Seeb captured their fifth league title overall and third in succession, while also winning the coveted His Majesty’s Cup, Super Cup and Federation Cup.
“These successes did not come from nowhere,” he said.
“They are the result of many years of work and a very long period of patience. From the beginning, we believed true success could not be built on reactions or temporary solutions, but through a complete system that begins at the grassroots and ends with championships.”
The Academy revolution
For H H Sayyid Shihab, the real foundation of the club’s future foundation lies in its academy structure—a system he described as one of the most important pillars of Seeb’s sporting success.
The club’s football academy now includes more than 150 players receiving technical training and development, with a focus not only on talent but on building character and leadership.
“We aim to create a generation that possesses the mentality of success, victory and championships,” he said. “They have already proven themselves by winning titles.”
The chairman said the club’s vision extends beyond producing footballers.
“We are not just making players — we are building sporting leaders who believe in discipline, belonging and teamwork,” he added.
“That is why we are confident about the future of the club, because the foundation is now strong and capable of supplying every team with talent.”
He described youth development as the “true investment” for any sporting institution.
“Seeb chose the harder path,” he said. “But from our perspective, it is the most successful path — long-term building and sustainability.”
‘AFC glory was only the beginning’
The club’s landmark 2022 AFC Cup triumph remains one of the defining moments in Omani club football history, but HH Sayyid Shihab insisted it was never viewed internally as the final destination.
“The Asian title was not the ceiling of our ambition,” he said. “It was the beginning of the road.”
The chairman said Omani clubs are capable of competing at the continental level when given the right environment, organised management, financial backing and government support.
Now, with Seeb preparing for a greater challenge through direct qualification to Asian (Asian Champions League) competition, he called for unity behind the club’s next phase.
“What lies ahead is a much bigger mission,” he said.
“This direct place in Asian competition is an advanced step for Oman football, but it is also a massive challenge that requires everyone to stand behind Seeb.”
He urged administrators, sponsors, fans, technical staff and the media to unite in support of the club’s continental ambitions.
“The next stage requires collective effort — administratively, financially, technically, from supporters and from the media — so we can present an honourable image of Omani sport and achieve the great ambition of reaching the podium again.”
Beyond football
The chairman also highlighted Seeb’s growing dominance in other sports, insisting the club has evolved into a complete sporting institution.
The volleyball team, he noted, has become one of the country’s great success stories, winning four consecutive league titles and eight straight Ministry Shield trophies while also delivering strong performances abroad.
The basketball team also added silverware this season by winning the Ministry Shield.
“These achievements prove, thank God, that Seeb are not only a football club,” he said. “It is a sporting institution, and by the grace of God and the loyalty of its people, it will continue to be so.”
Still, he acknowledged that success brings rising expectations.
“The biggest challenge is maintaining continuity in winning championships, especially with the increasing ambitions and expectations of the supporters.”
Tribute to the “golden fans”
H H Sayyid Shihab reserved special praise for the club’s board members, technical and administrative staff, players across all sports, committee members and workers behind the scenes.
“They are the unseen soldiers,” he said. “They work day and night with sincerity because they believe in the club and its mission.”
But his most emotional tribute was directed toward Seeb’s loyal supporters — the “Golden Fans” whose presence has become central to the club’s identity.
“Seeb fans are true partners in every success we have achieved,” he said. “They are not merely supporters. They are the soul and heartbeat of the club.”
He praised their unwavering loyalty, saying they have consistently stood beside the club through victories, competitions and sacrifices.
“When we see the stands erupting with passion and belonging, we realise the size of the responsibility we carry,” he said. “This fan base always deserves happiness, and we must give them what matches their loyalty and love for the club.”
The chairman concluded with a message of gratitude and hope, expressing his wish that the club continues to meet the expectations of both Seeb supporters and Oman’s leadership under His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
And if his words carried one unmistakable message, it was this: “For Seeb, winning trophies is no longer enough. The club is now building for permanence — in Oman, and in Asia.”
