KUWAIT CITY: As the Arabian Gulf Cup approaches its 26th edition, the tournament, now in its 55th year, continues to celebrate its rich history through a series of distinct trophy designs. Throughout its existence, six separate designs have been introduced, with Qatar playing a significant role by introducing three of them. These trophies symbolize the honor and historical legacy of the competition, which is set to take place in Kuwait from December 21 to January 3. According to Qatar News Agency, the idea of the Gulf Cup was conceived by Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al-Saud, with the inaugural edition held in Bahrain in 1970. The first trophy was designed in Bahrain and crafted in Lebanon from white gold, featuring two olive branches and a hexagonal shape. Kuwait, the inaugural champion, retained the title for three consecutive editions, permanently winning the trophy under the competition's rules. In 1976, Qatar introduced a new trophy design made of pure gold during the fourth edition, which it hosted. This edition marked the inclusion of Iraq, although Kuwait continued its winning streak. The ninth edition in 1988 saw Saudi Arabia present a new trophy inspired by a tree trunk and a map of the Gulf countries, crafted in France, following Kuwait's sixth victory. Qatar returned with a fourth design for the 11th edition in 1992, held in Doha. Designed by Qatari artist Suleiman Al Malek, this trophy incorporated elements of cultural significance, including a traditional incense burner and a Shaheen falcon. It was produced in Italy by Bertoni and became the first trophy lifted by Qatar in the Gulf Cup. In 2002, another Saudi Arabian design featured an Arabic incense burner with a football on top, symbolizing the Gulf nations' teams. Qatar introduced its third design in 2004 for the 17th edition, crafted by Iraqi artist Ahmed Al Bahrani. This iteration featured an incense burner topped with pearls and wrapped with a Gulf headdress, made of pure gold in Italy. The current design, adopted by the Arabian Gulf Cup Foot ball Federation in May 2016, remains in use. The federation oversees both national and club Gulf competitions. The trophy will not be redesigned unless a team wins three consecutive editions, allowing them to permanently retain it, prompting the creation of a new design.