Salma wins gold as Qatar shooters shine at Arab Championship

Muscat: Qatari shooters continued their strong performances at the Arab Pistol and Rifle Championship in Muscat Tuesday, winning four medals. Salma Almas claimed gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event and also teamed up with Duaa Rahmatullah and Aisha al-Abdullah to secure silver in the team competition.Rahmatullah added a bronze medal in the individual event. The mixed doubles pair of Al Maha al-Ali and Abdullah al-Sunaidi captured bronze in the 10m air rifle. With these results, Qatar’s medal tally rose to eight medals – one gold, three silver and four bronze.

Strong Competition at the Qatar International Cup, Arab and West Asia Weightlifting Championships

Doha:  Competition continued today at the 10th Qatar International Weightlifting Cup 2025, alongside the Arab Weightlifting Championship for youth, juniors and seniors, and the West Asia Championship for the same age categories. The events are organized by the Qatar Weightlifting Federation and will run until 27 December.Results from the third day of the Arab Senior Championship saw Egyptian lifter Mohamed Metwally claim two gold medals in the 71kg category: gold in the clean and jerk with a lift of 159kg, and gold in the total with 288kg, in addition to a silver medal in the snatch with 129kg.Saudi lifter Ali Hussein won gold in the snatch with 130kg and silver in the total with 283kg. Egypt’s Eyad Tantawy collected three bronze medals in the snatch (120kg), clean and jerk (155kg) and total (275kg), while Libyan lifter Mohamed Ali Shalabi secured silver in the clean and jerk with 157kg.In the Arab Youth Championship, Mohamed Metwally won two gold medals in the clean and jerk (159kg) and total (288kg). Saudi lifter Hussein Ali claimed gold in the snatch (130kg) and silver in the total (283kg), while Eyad Tantawy added three bronze medals in the snatch (120kg), clean and jerk (155kg) and total (275kg).In the Arab Junior Championship, Saudi lifter Ali Hussein captured three gold medals in the snatch (130kg), clean and jerk (153kg) and total (283kg). Syrian lifter Ali Dabaoul won three silver medals in the snatch (97kg), clean and jerk (121kg) and total (218kg), while Kuwaiti lifter Issa Shaher claimed three bronze medals in the snatch (75kg), clean and jerk (90kg) and total (165kg).In the Qatar International Cup – Men’s 71kg, Turkmen lifter Benyad Rashidov won two gold medals in the snatch (145kg) and total (314kg), in addition to a silver medal in the clean and jerk (169kg). South Korea’s Lee Sangyeon secured gold in the clean and jerk (177kg) and silver in the total (305kg). Thailand’s Teerawat Ratwiset earned silver in the snatch (137kg) and two bronze medals in the clean and jerk (167kg) and total (304kg), while South Korean lifter Park Jangjo took bronze in the snatch with 132kg.As for the Qatari participation, lifter Abdullah Ali Diab delivered a positive performance in his first appearance with the Qatar national weightlifting team, finishing seventh in the 73kg category at the Qatar International Weightlifting Cup, which features a strong field of elite international lifters.Diab impressed on his debut, lifting 95kg in the snatch and 124kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 219kg.His participation comes as part of the national team’s preparation plan, aimed at providing Qatari lifters with international competitive exposure, particularly in tournaments that attract experienced, high-level athletes, thereby enhancing technical and physical readiness ahead of upcoming competitions. 

Qatar Ranked Sixth in Asia and Fifth Among Arab Nations in Latest FIFA World Standings

DOHA - Qatar’s national football team has slipped three places to 54th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, settling at sixth among Asian teams and fifth among Arab nations with a total of 1,454.96 points.The dip follows a challenging campaign at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, where the defending Asian champions exited at the group stage after defeats to Palestine and Tunisia, along with a draw against Syria.Yet, beyond the setback lies a landmark achievement. Qatar successfully secured qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 through the Asian play-offs an historic first via the qualification route, after their automatic entry as tournament hosts in the 2022 edition.At the summit of world football, Spain continue to lead the global rankings, ahead of Argentina and France, with no changes among the top 33 teams. Regionally, Morocco stands tall as the highest-ranked Arab nation, climbing to 11th worldwide after lifting the Arab Cup, while Japan remain Asia’s top-ranked side at 18th.Among other Arab teams, Algeria sit 34th, followed closely by Egypt in 35th place, and Tunisia in 41st, underscoring the growing competitiveness of Arab football on the international stage. 

FIFA, QSL and QFA Renew Strategic Partnership to Drive Domestic Football Development

DOHA -  FIFA has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of domestic football in Qatar by renewing its strategic partnership with the Qatar Stars League (QSL) and the Qatar Football Association (QFA), in a move that underlines a shared vision to globalise the game and create broader pathways for clubs, leagues and players to compete at the highest international level.The renewed collaboration was formalised through the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, President of both the QSL and the QFA. The signing ceremony took place on Qatar National Day, December 18, at the iconic Lusail Stadium, on the eve of the FIFA Arab Cup 2025 final between Jordan and Morocco.Expressing his enthusiasm, Infantino said he was “delighted” to extend the MoU, describing it as a significant step in strengthening a long-standing strategic partnership focused on elevating professional club football. He commended Qatar’s continued role as a trusted host of major FIFA competitions, including the FIFA Arab Cup, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.“Through education programmes, knowledge exchange and enhanced support for player well-being, we are working together to ensure that talented players and ambitious clubs can flourish within a more competitive and sustainable global football ecosystem,” Infantino said.Under the renewed agreement, FIFA will deliver tailored support across several key areas, including education and exchange programmes for club executives and agents, as well as comprehensive mental health and player well-being initiatives. The next phase of cooperation will place particular emphasis on the Educational Programmes Project, prioritising practical, real-world application alongside academic learning.For his part, Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain highlighted that the renewed partnership reflects the depth and strength of cooperation between FIFA, the QSL and the QFA. He noted that the agreement plays a vital role in advancing football development at both technical and administrative levels.“This partnership spans multiple areas, from strategic and institutional development to technical growth, while also harnessing the region’s passion for football to promote peace and showcase the game’s universal values on a global stage,” Al Buainain said.Qatar has been a central driver of football development in the region, from the establishment of the Qatar Stars League to hosting landmark tournaments such as the AFC Asian Cup in 2011 and 2023, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and the expanded FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2025. Looking ahead, the country is set to host the next four editions of the annual FIFA U-17 World Cup, further cementing its position as a global hub for football excellence.

GCC U10 Tennis Championship begins

Doha (Agencies) – The GCC U10 Years Tennis Championship began yesterday at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.The participants’ list features a number of young players from Qatar and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Qatari players Sara Khalifa, Aisha Al Thani and Abdullah Al Mannai, alongside Omani player Omar Al Shaibani, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al Barqan and Bahrain’s Abdullah Mohammed.Khalid Al Khelaifi, Head of the National Teams Committee at the Qatar Tennis Federation, said that hosting competitions for this age group contributes significantly to the development of Qatari players and the enhancement of their technical level, given the strong competitive exposure it provides against different Gulf tennis schools.Al Khelaifi added that the championship reflects the Federation’s commitment to promoting tennis across the Gulf region and providing a competitive environment, while also serving as an opportunity to strengthen bonds of brotherhood among the peoples of the GCC states.

Mohammed bin Yousef Al Mana re-elected as President of AWF

Doha: The Executive Office of the Arab Weightlifting Federation (AWF) held a meeting on the margins of the Combined Weightlifting Championships, hosted by Doha, featuring the Qatar Cup, the Arab Weightlifting Championship, and the West Asia Weightlifting Championship, amid wide Arab and Asian participation and high-level attendance from the sport's leadership.During the meeting, AWF renewed its confidence in HE Mohammed bin Yousef Al Mana by electing him as President of AWF for a new term extending from 2025 to 2029, after he was elected unopposed in a move that demonstrates the massive confidence in the current leadership, along with the apparent gains earned both on the coaching and administrative levels throughout the previous cycle, in terms of promoting the Arab presence in international fora, elevating the game system, as well as the refereeing and coaching talents.HE Al Mana retained his position as Pesident of the AWF, in addition to his international and regional posts, as he serves as First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), Vice President of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), President of the Qatar Weightlifting Federation (QWF), President of the Asian Weightlifting Federation, and President of the Afro Asian Weightlifting Council of Weightlifting, underscoring his sports influence and prominent standing in the global weightlifting landscape.The new term witnessed the creation of the post of First Vice President of the AWF, in an organizational step aimed at strengthening governance and expanding the scope of executive work, with Mohammed Ahmed Al Harbi, President of the Saudi Weightlifting Federation, elected unopposed to assume this post, in recognition of his outstanding role in advancing the sport on the national and Gulf regional stages.The new formation of vice presidents was also approved, including Talal Rasheed Al Jassar (Kuwait) and Dr. Abdullah Al Jarmal (Yemen) as vice presidents representing the Asian region, alongside Mohamed Abdelmaksoud (Egypt) and Kamel Saidi (Algeria) as vice presidents representing the African region.The executive office elected unopposed also includes Mohammed Kadhem Mza'al (Iraq), Dr. Basil Al Ibrahim (Syria), Ishaq Ibrahim Ishaq (Bahrain), Abdel Ilah Laarash (Morocco), Abdulrahman Al Jatlawi (Libya), and Dr. Khaled Al Wadaia (Palestine), reflecting geographical diversity, extensive technical expertise, and broad administrative experience.Attending the meeting were representatives from 19 countries among the executive members, alongside a record number of officials from Arab federations and heads of delegations participating in the Combined Championships, led by Mohammed Hasan Jalood Al Shammari, President of IWF, Abdel Aziz bin Mohammed Al Enazi, Secretary General of the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees, and Dr. Astrit Hasani, President of the European Weightlifting Federation (EWF).This attendance reemphasizes the advanced status achieved by the Arab championships and the growing role of AWF within the international weightlifting framework.HE Al Mana asserted that renewing confidence in him is a colossal responsibility prior to being an honor, stressing that the upcoming period will be marked by extensive work to meet the aspirations of the Arab federations.This election by acclamation reflects the spirit of Arab consensus and the confidence of the member federations in the pathway of the AWF, as a robust momentum to continue the work and advance this game at all coaching and administrative levels, he underlined.Al Mana added that the next phase will focus on expanding the participation base, qualifying coaching and refereeing cadres, and strengthening developmental programs for juniors and youth, contributing to the preparation of Arab champions capable of competing on continental and global stages.