Team Qatar Edge Bahrain 2-1 in Dramatic Finish to Seal U-23 Asian Cup Spot

DOHA  – Team Qatar produced a stunning late comeback to defeat Bahrain 2-1 and secure their place in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 after a pulsating Group H clash at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Tuesday .The victory lifted Qatar to the top of the group with a perfect record of nine points from three matches, ahead of India, who finished second with six points following a commanding 6-0 win over Brunei Darussalam earlier in the day.Bahrain made Qatar work hard for qualification, taking the lead in the 71st minute through Abdulrahman Sami Al Khayyat. With their campaign hanging in the balance, Qatar pressed forward relentlessly and were rewarded in stoppage time when Al Hashmi Al Hussain struck the equalizer in the 91st minute.The drama escalated when Qatar were reduced to ten men after Ayoub Mohamed Al Ouwi was sent off in the 95th minute. But the setback only fueled their determination, and in the ninth minute of added time, Jassem Al Sharshani coolly converted a penalty to seal a memorable win and spark jubilant celebrations.Earlier, India had kept their qualification hopes alive with a dominant display against Brunei. Vibin Mohanan stole the spotlight with a first-half brace before completing his hat-trick with a superb free-kick in the second half. Goals from Ayush Chhetri, Mohammed Aimen (two), and relentless attacking play highlighted India’s one-sided victory.Despite the emphatic scoreline, India’s hopes ended in heartbreak. Their six-point tally placed them fifth among the second-placed teams across the 11 groups, just outside the qualifying spots.For Qatar, however, the night belonged to resilience and belief. A late rally under pressure secured their sixth appearance at the U-23 Asian Cup finals, keeping alive their dreams of regional glory. 

Qatar Drawn in Group D for Men’s Handball at Asian Youth Games in Bahrain

Manama – The draw for the men’s handball tournament at the 3rd Asian Youth Games, set to take place in Bahrain from October 22 to 31, has placed Team Qatar in Group D alongside Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and the Maldives.Host nation Bahrain will compete in Group A with Jordan and Thailand, while Kuwait, China, and India make up Group B. Group C brings together Iran, the UAE, Kazakhstan, and Hong Kong.According to the competition format, the top two teams from each group will advance to the main round, where the eight qualifiers will be split into two groups of four. The top two finishers from each group will then secure their place in the semifinals.Handball action at the Asian Youth Games is scheduled to begin on October 19, three days ahead of the official opening ceremony, and will run until October 30.Qatar enters the tournament with strong pedigree, having captured the gold medal in the previous edition of the Games in Nanjing 2013, where they defeated South Korea 28–21 in the final. 

Qatar unveils star-Studded Lineup for World Athletics Championships

DOHA  – The Qatar Athletics Federation has unveiled the squad that will represent the nation at the World Athletics Championships, set to be held in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.In a statement posted on its official account on “X,” the Federation confirmed the participation of 12 athletes, aiming to build on Qatar’s global success and further highlight its strength in athletics. The squad includes: Mutaz Barshim, Abderrahman Samba, Ismail Dawood, Omar Dawood, Bassem Hemeida, Saif Mohammed, Ashraf Hussein, Ammar Ismail, Ibrahim Zakaria, Khalid Hussein, Abdulaziz Youssef, and Ahmed Haroun.Olympic and world champion Mutaz Barshim, a three-time consecutive gold medalist in the high jump (London 2017, Doha 2019, Eugene 2022), headlines the team. He is joined by hurdler Abderrahman Samba, bronze medalist in the 400m hurdles at Doha 2019, and fellow hurdler Bassem Hemeida.Barshim and Samba are regarded as Qatar’s strongest medal hopes, alongside the 4x400m relay team comprising Ashraf Hussein, Bassem Hemeida, Ismail Dawood, and Ammar Ismail.The squad also features 23-year-old Saif Mohammed, who will make his World Championships debut in the pole vault, as well as Omar Dawood in the 110m hurdles, Ammar Ismail, Khalid Hussein, Abdulaziz Youssef, and Ahmed Haroun in the 400m, and Ibrahim Zakaria in the 800m.The Tokyo World Championships will bring together over 2,000 athletes from more than 200 countries, competing across 100 medal events. 

Team Qatar Looks to secure U-23 Asian Cup Finals Spot Against Bahrain

DOHA  – The Qatari U-23 national football team will aim to confirm its place in the Asian U-23 Championship finals when it takes on Bahrain tomorrow, Tuesday, at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in the third round of Group H, which also features India and Brunei.Qatar currently leads the group with six points, following a 13-0 opening win over Brunei and a 2-1 victory against India in the second round. A win against Bahrain would give the team a third consecutive triumph and secure qualification to the finals for the sixth time in its history.Coach Elidio Vale is counting on the momentum and confidence gained from the first two victories, which were built on strong possession, tight defensive organization, and rapid transitions, resulting in effective and decisive play.Key players expected to make an impact include Jassim Al Sharshani, Al Hashemi Al Hussain, and striker Mostafa Al Said, who netted four goals in the opening match, alongside Nour Eddin Ibrahim, Marwan Bramell, and Abdulaziz Mohammed.The qualifiers involve 44 teams divided into 11 groups, with 15 teams advancing to the finals: the group winners and the four best runners-up, alongside host nation Saudi Arabia, completing the lineup. 

Qatari Volleyball Team Heads to the Philippines for World Championship

DOHA  – The Qatari national volleyball team will fly to Manila on Tuesday to compete in the FIVB Volleyball World Championship, hosted by the Philippines from September 12 to 28.This marks Qatar’s second appearance in the FIVB World Championship, following their debut in the 2022 edition in Poland and Slovenia.The team’s preparation included an intensive training camp in Doha, featuring seven friendly matches: two against Egypt, two against Iran, and three against Ukraine.Drawn into Group B, Qatar will face the world’s top-ranked and defending champion Poland, along with the Netherlands and Romania. The team will open its campaign against the Netherlands on September 13, meet Poland two days later, and conclude the first round against Romania on September 17.Saeed Gumaa Al Hitmi, Board Member of the Qatar Volleyball Association and head of the national team delegation, said preparations followed a detailed plan, including rigorous internal training and strong preparatory matches.“This participation is an important chance for our team to gain valuable experience against top international opponents,” Al Hitmi stated. “The challenge will be tough, but our recent victory at the West Asian Championship in Bahrain has boosted the team’s morale, motivating them to showcase a strong performance in their second World Championship appearance.” 

Asian Handball Federation Announces Schedule for Asian U-17 Championship

Kuwait  - The Asian Handball Federation has announced the schedule for the first Asian U-17 Championship, which will be held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, from September 15 to 25.The championship serves as a qualifier for the World Championship in Morocco.The Qatari national team, drawn in Group B, is scheduled to begin its tournament against China on Tuesday, September 16, before facing Saudi Arabia in their second match the following day.Group A includes Kuwait, Bahrain, and Hong Kong. Group C includes Jordan, Chinese Taipei, and India. Group D includes South Korea, Iran, the Maldives, and Syria.The top two teams from each group will advance to the main round, during which the eight qualified teams will be divided into two groups of four, with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals.The Asian champion and runner-up will represent Asia in the inaugural World U-17 Handball Championship, which will be held in Morocco from October 24 to November 1.