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3 Oct’ 2026
OCA President Welcomes Emperor and Empress of Japan at Equestrian Jumping Competition
H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia, welcomed His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito and Her Majesty the Empress Masako, accompanied by their daughter, Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko, as they attended part of the individual Equestrian Jumping competition at the 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, held at the Equestrian Park in Tokyo.
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Qatar Delegation Celebrates Padel and Beach Volleyball Golds and Wrestling Bronze
Aichi-Nagoya The Qatar delegation celebrated the achievements of Team Qatar’s padel, beach volleyball and wrestling athletes at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 after they secured two gold medals and one bronze. The celebration, held at Bayt Qatar in Nagoya, was attended by H.E. Mohammed bin Yousef Al-Mana, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee; Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, Director of the Sports Department at the Qatar Olympic Committee; Team Qatar’s padel, beach volleyball and wrestling medallists; and members of the Qatar delegation.The padel gold was secured by Mashari Nawaf and Rashed Nawaf following their victory over Malaysia’s Christian Chin and Aidan Yunus, giving Qatar the first men’s padel gold medal in Asian Games history.In beach volleyball, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan retained their Asian Games title after defeating Indonesia’s Sofyan Rachman Efendi and Bintang Akbar in the final, securing Qatar’s third consecutive Asian Games gold medal in the event.
SC showcases Qatar’s volunteering legacy at Bayt Qatar in the Asian Games 2026
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) showcased the legacy of its Qatar Volunteer Programme at Bayt Qatar, as part of the Asian Games 2026, which took place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4. Former volunteers, who worked on mega-events including FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ and the Qatar Football Season 2025, were part of the SC delegation at Bayt Qatar – a Qatar Olympic Committee initiative that offered visitors an interactive showcase of the country’s heritage and sporting achievements. As Qatar prepares to host mega events in the future, the Qatar Volunteer Programme will play a key role in delivering world-class experiences. For Haya Al Noaimi, SC Event Workforce & Volunteers Executive Director, Qatar’s sporting legacy has helped build a strong volunteer culture within the community, which has positively shaped fan experiences: “By involving our volunteers in Bayt Qatar, we wanted to showcase how volunteerism has become a deeply rooted culture in Qatar that lasts well beyond a single event. We hope their stories inspire more people to volunteer, participate in future events and become part of the growing community we have built. Our biggest legacy is a robust community of experienced, passionate and talented volunteers, who are actively shaping Qatar’s events heritage. Their experience strengthens the nation’s wider capability and continued readiness in hosting major regional and international events.”Participating at Bayt Qatar, Qatari volunteer Ali Al Khater, an oil and gas industry professional, shared how working as a guest relations volunteer at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ created memorable experiences: “Volunteering at Qatar 2022 showed me how different cultures can come together as one team to achieve a common goal. This is the power of sport. It was a proud moment to meet Japanese fans here in Aichi-Nagoya, relive memories of the historic World Cup, and show our passion for sport and for organising world-class tournaments.”
Qatar to Receive Asian Games Flag, Marking the Start of the Journey to Doha 2030
Nagoya, Japan - Qatar will receive the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Flag today, Sunday, during the Closing Ceremony of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, officially marking the beginning of its journey towards hosting the 21st Asian Games in Doha in 2030.The curtain will come down on Aichi-Nagoya 2026 today after the Games, which began on 19 September with the participation of 45 National Olympic Committees, before the Asian Games flag passes to Doha, the next host of Asia’s largest multi-sport event.The Flag Handover carries special significance for Qatari sport, coming 20 years after Doha first hosted the Asian Games in 2006. It also marks the beginning of a new phase of preparations ahead of the Games’ return to the Qatari capital in four years.Doha’s preparations for the next edition will build on Qatar’s extensive experience in staging major sporting events, as well as its advanced infrastructure and sports venues that have hosted numerous international competitions. Sustainability and the optimal use of existing venues will also be central to preparations for Doha 2030.During their time in Japan, the Doha 2030 Asian Games Organizing Committee delegation have also sought to benefit from the experience of Aichi-Nagoya 2026 by participating in the Observer Program and gaining first-hand insight into the organizational and operational aspects of hosting the Games.Today’s Closing Ceremony is set to mark an important milestone on the road to Doha 2030, as the OCA Flag passes to Qatar and a new four-year chapter begins ahead of the Asian Games in Doha in 2030.Qatar aim to deliver an exceptional edition of the Asian Games when the event returns to Doha following the memorable 2006 edition. The next four years will open a new chapter in Qatar’s distinguished record of hosting major international sporting events.
Team Qatar Complete Beach Volleyball Golden Hat-Trick
Aichi-Nagoya - Qatar’s beach volleyball pair Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan were crowned Asian Games champions after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Indonesia in the final at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, successfully defending their title for a third consecutive edition and continuing Qatar’s outstanding record in Asian beach volleyball. Following the match, Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, and Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Volleyball Association, presented the Qatar team with their gold medals. Indonesia received silver, while Japan claimed bronze.The triumph underlined Qatar’s continued success in Asian beach volleyball, with Cherif and Tijan winning their third successive Asian Games gold following their victories at Jakarta-Palembang 2018 and Hangzhou 2022.The final began at a high tempo, with Indonesia taking an early 2-0 lead in the opening set before Team Qatar levelled at 2-2 and moved ahead 4-2. The contest remained close, with Indonesia drawing level at 17-17 before edging ahead 20-19 and taking the opening set 21-19.Team Qatar responded strongly in the second set, establishing an early 4-1 advantage before extending their lead to 7-3. Cherif and Tijan remained in control, moving 15-12 and then 18-14 ahead before reaching 20-16. They closed out the set 21-16 to level the match and force a deciding third set.In the decider, Team Qatar imposed themselves from the outset and raced into a 6-2 lead. Cherif and Tijan maintained their advantage to win the set 15-8 and seal a 2-1 victory and the gold medal.With the triumph, Cherif and Tijan further strengthened their standing among Asia’s leading beach volleyball pairs, successfully defending their Asian Games crown for the third consecutive edition and adding another gold medal to Qatar’s Asian Games record.Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Volleyball Association, expressed his delight with Qatar’s historic achievement in winning a third consecutive Asian Games beach volleyball gold medal. “We congratulate our leadership and the Qatar Olympic Committee on this great achievement and dedicate this precious gold medal to our leadership, which has spared no effort in supporting sport and athletes,” he said.“I would also like to thank H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, for his continued support of Qatari sport and athletes, which provides us with great motivation to continue working and achieving further success.“I would like to commend Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, who produced outstanding performances throughout the Games, showed tremendous fighting spirit and rose to the occasion. They fully deserved the gold medal after an excellent campaign. Despite some difficulties we faced before the tournament following Cherif’s injury, and our concerns over whether he would be able to participate, he was determined to play and, thankfully, we succeeded in retaining the gold medal.“Winning the title for the third consecutive edition confirms that this achievement is the result of sustained work, planning and significant support for the sport. We look forward to continuing this