Team Qatar Handball to Play Two Friendly Matches Against Saudi Arabia in Preparation for the Asian Championship in Kuwait

Doha: The Qatari national handball team will play two friendly matches against their Saudi counterparts on Monday and Wednesday in Doha, as part of their preparations for the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship, scheduled to take place in Kuwait from 15 to 26 January 2026. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2027 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship in Germany.The two matches will provide an important opportunity for the national team’s technical staff, led by Spanish head coach Valero Rivera, to assess the players’ readiness ahead of announcing the final squad that will represent Qatar at the continental championship.The tournament draw placed the Qatari team in Group A alongside South Korea and Oman. Qatar will open their campaign against Oman on Friday, 16 January, before facing South Korea in their second group match on 20 January.Group B includes Bahrain, Iraq, China, and Jordan, while Group C features Kuwait, the UAE, Hong Kong, and India. Group D comprises Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.The top two teams from each group will advance to the main round, which will feature eight teams divided into two groups playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, in addition to securing direct qualification for the 2027 World Championship.The Qatari handball team will be aiming to retain the Asian title they have won in the past six editions—2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024—and to qualify for the World Championship for the 11th time in their history. Their best-ever finish at the World Championship remains second place at the 2015 edition, which was hosted by Qatar.Qatar claimed the title at the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship, held in Bahrain last year, after defeating Japan 30–24 in the final.

QOC President attends Olympic Summit

Lausanne: H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Senior Vice President of ANOC, participated in the 14th Olympic Summit, held today at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, alongside leaders of the Olympic Movement.Chaired by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the Summit gathered IOC Vice Presidents, Executive Board members, and representatives from national and continental Olympic committees, international federations, and global sports organizations.Discussions centered on final preparations for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as well as opportunities and challenges identified through the IOC’s “Fit for the Future” consultation process. Participants reaffirmed the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders to advance the Olympic Movement.His Excellency’s participation in this key event reflects the active role played by the Qatar Olympic Committee in supporting the goals of the Olympic Movement and contributing to shaping future initiatives that promote global sport development. 

Sheikh Joaan meets with FIBA Secretary General

Mies, Switzerland: H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, met today with Mr. Andreas Zagklis, Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), at the federation’s headquarters in Mies, Switzerland.During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the latest preparations for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 and discussed areas of cooperation to ensure the delivery of an exceptional edition that meets FIBA’s ambitions and reflects Qatar’s readiness to host major global sporting events.Prior to the meeting, H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani toured the FIBA Museum, where he explored its historical collections and learned about its role as a source of inspiration for basketball fans and athletes around the world.This meeting comes as part of a series of regular engagements between the Qatar Olympic Committee and FIBA aimed at strengthening coordination and ensuring the successful delivery of a World Cup edition that Doha aspires to make the best in the tournament’s history. 

Qatar Olympic Committee Unveils Details of the Second Edition of Its Annual Half Marathon

DOHA  – The Qatar Olympic Committee convened a press conference this morning to announce the details of the second edition of the 2026 Half Marathon, scheduled for Tuesday, 10 February 2026 at Lusail Boulevard as part of the Qatar’s National Sport Day celebrations. The event’s organizing unveiled a series of accompanying sports events to be held at Team Qatar Village  at Al-Saad square in cooperation with national sports federations.Presided over by Mr. Abdulaziz Ghanim, Director General of the QOC Half Marathon 2026, the conference brought together Mr. Ahmed Al-Jaber, Head  of the  event’s Technical Committee, members of the Organizing Committee, 2025 race winner Rabea Al-Musleh and Jamal Al-Khanji, and media representatives.The event opened with a compelling video review of the first edition, showcasing its success in attracting more than 6,000 runners and highlighting its contribution to strengthening community engagement under the principle of “Sport for All.”In his address, Mr. Ghanim expressed pride in launching the 2026 edition, noting the Organizing committee’s aim to expand participation to 10,000 runners, while commending the support of Qatari Diar and ASICS, the leading Japanese company in sportswear and athletic gear. He emphasized the media’s essential role in promoting public awareness and community involvement.Mr. Ahmed Al-Jaber, Head of the Technical Committee of the QOC Half Marathon 2026 ’s Organizing Committee explained in his presentation that the second edition will feature a range of main categories designed to suit all ages and fitness levels. These include: Children’s Category (6–14 years): 1 km, Juniors Category (Boys & Girls, 15–17 years): 5 km, Open Category (Men & Women, 19–39 years): 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km, Open Category (Men & Women, 40+ years): 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km, Team Qatar Category – Al Adaam (Men & Women, 19–39 years): 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km, Team Qatar Category – Al Adaam (Men & Women, 40+ years): 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km.Al-Jaber also highlighted the comprehensive logistical, technical, administrative, and medical services provided by the organizing committee along the race routes, including fully equipped water stations and first-aid points, ensuring the safety of all participants and the comfort of everyone involved.”The QOC-half marathon 2026’s Organizing committee reaffirmed its commitment to delivering an exceptional sporting event that promotes a healthy and active society in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the QOC’s vision “  To become a leading nation in bringing the world together through sustainable sport development” .

Sheikh Joaan meets with President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations

Lausanne: H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, met today with Mr. Ingmar De Vos, President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations and President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), during a visit to the FEI headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the 14th Olympic Summit held at the Olympic House.The meeting discussed areas of cooperation between the Qatar Olympic Committee and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, particularly in the fields of developing Olympic sports, enhancing joint programs that support athletes, and reviewing recent developments within the Olympic movement. The two sides also exchanged views on ways to strengthen coordination and integration among international sports institutions.The discussions also touched on the key topics featured on the agenda of the Olympic Summit, and the perspectives they offer regarding the future of the Olympic movement. Both parties emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration between international sports bodies to ensure the continuous development of sport worldwide and to promote the values of Olympism within communities.This meeting comes as part of the Qatar Olympic Committee’s commitment to exchanging expertise with leading international sports organizations, in a way that contributes to advancing the development of sport in Qatar and strengthening its active presence within the global Olympic movement. 

Qatar U-17 Gymnastics Team Depart for China to Join Asian Training Camp

Doha:  The Qatar junior national gymnastics team will depart Doha for the People’s Republic of China to participate in the Asian training camp, scheduled to take place in the city of Nanning in the Guangxi region from 11 to 20 December. The camp brings together an elite group of Asian national teams.This training camp comes as part of the technical preparation plan implemented by the Qatar Gymnastics Federation, aimed at enhancing the players’ physical and technical readiness, and providing them with increased international exposure and experience ahead of upcoming competitions.The delegation includes:•    Medhat Hassan Mousa – Team Manager•    Mohamed Ali – Head Coach•    Athletes: Ahmed Samir, Omar Al-Hefnawi, Fares Shadi, Youssef AhmedThe gymnasts are expected to undergo an intensive training programme under the supervision of top Asian coaches and experts, contributing to the development of their technical skills and boosting their competitiveness at continental and international levels.