Team Qatar drawn in group 10 for 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships

Canberra: Team Qatar has been drawn at the top of Group 10 for the upcoming 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships, set to take place in Adelaide, Australia, from November 14 to 23, 2025. The group also features Austria, Switzerland, and Cuba.Represented by the world-renowned duo Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, Qatar will compete among 48 men’s teams participating in the prestigious global event. In total, 96 teams—split equally between men and women—will contest the tournament, divided into 12 groups of four.In Group 10, Qatar will face Austria’s Hammerberg and Berger, Switzerland’s Hausener and Friedli, and Cuba’s Gomez and Ferranes. The FIVB confirmed that the full match schedule and ticket details will be released on October 14.Speaking on the occasion, Mohammed Salem Al-Kuwari, Chairman of the Beach Volleyball Committee at the Qatar Volleyball Association, affirmed that Team Qatar is fully prepared for the challenge ahead. He emphasized the team’s determination to deliver a performance worthy of Qatar’s global sporting reputation and to progress deep into the competition.Team Qatar enters the championship with high expectations, aiming to build on its remarkable track record, highlighted by the historic bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and a series of podium finishes in major international tournaments.The Adelaide 2025 World Championships promise world-class competition, featuring a blend of Olympic champions, world titleholders, and emerging teams, all vying for glory on the sands of Australia’s premier beach volleyball stage.

Qatar beat Malaysia in T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

Doha: Skipper Mirza Mohammed Baig led from the front with an impressive all-round display as Qatar cruised to an eight-wicket win over Malaysia in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifier match at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman today.Malaysia batted first and scored 123 for 9, while Qatar chased down the target losing only two wickets, in 17.1 overs. The victory lifted Qatar to second place in Group A with two points.

Gulf countries pledge support for Qatar's hosting of 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup

Doha: In a significant show of regional unity, Gulf nations have extended unwavering support to Qatar for organising the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, marking the event's debut in the Middle East and North Africa region.The announcement came during key meetings of the Gulf Basketball Association and a consultative session for Gulf federation presidents, held at the Sheraton Doha Hotel and hosted by the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF).These gatherings underscored the region's commitment to advancing basketball through enhanced collaboration and development initiatives.The meetings, attended by prominent figures including His EE Sheikh Saud bin Ali al-Thani, President of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), focused on strategic priorities for the sport's growth. Key participants included Mohammed bin Saad al-Mughaiseeb, President of both the Gulf and Qatar Basketball Associations; Hagop Khajirian, FIBA's Executive Director; and Saadoun Sabah al-Kuwari, Secretary-General of the Gulf Basketball Association.Board members such as Hamoud al-Malki, Salem al-Mutawa, Mohammed Nasser al-Hasani, Thamer Ayed al-Shanfa, and Mohammed al-Ajmi also contributed to discussions on upcoming plans. A major highlight was the approval of the 2025-2026 Gulf basketball tournament calendar, designed to foster youth and women's participation across the regionBahrain will host the Gulf 3x3 Youth Championship for under-21 men and women on November 19-20, 2025. Saudi Arabia will stage the Gulf Women's Championship in November 2025. Oman will organise the Gulf 3x3 Men's Championship on November 28-29, 2025.Qatar will host the Gulf 3x3 Under-21 Championship in 2026 and the Gulf Under-18 Youth Championship next year. Abu Dhabi, UAE, will welcome the Fatima bint Mubarak Gulf Women's Academy Cup next year. Oman will also host the Gulf 3x3 Men's Championship next year, alongside the Gulf Women's Championship.The sessions emphasised innovative projects, including the publication of a comprehensive book chronicling the history of basketball in Gulf countries—from the founding of federations to current achievements. Additionally, a new Gulf Clubs Cup of Cups tournament will launch next year, with regulations ensuring participation from each nation's cup champions, provided they are not competing in the West Asia Super League (WASL).This initiative aims to provide broader regional opportunities for Gulf clubs .In the consultative meeting, Gulf federation presidents — including Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed al-Khalifa (Bahrain), Engineer Khalfan bin Saleh al-Naabi (Oman), Ghassan Yusuf Tashkandi (Saudi Arabia), Dhari Burjis (Kuwait), and Abdul Latif Nasser Al Fardan (UAE)—unanimously affirmed their full backing for Qatar's 2027 World Cup organizing committee.They expressed confidence in Qatar's ability to deliver a world-class event from August 27 to September 12, 2027.Deliberations explored avenues for Gulf-wide cooperation on the World Cup, such as sharing expertise, joint training programs, friendly matches, and development initiatives for referees, statisticians, and coaches.A workshop for new federation members and secretaries was proposed to introduce effective governance principles, alongside an overview of FIBA regulations and their practical application.The Gulf Association received proposals from Oman to establish and host a new under-14 girls' tournament, and from Bahrain to organize the Gulf Men's 5x5 Championship.Mohammed bin Saad al-Mughaiseeb highlighted the meetings' objectives: "These gatherings are pivotal in strengthening ties among Gulf federations and elevating basketball at all levels. We take great pride in Qatar's role in hosting regional tournaments and leading the organisation of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup — a landmark moment for the sport globally." He added that the agenda also prioritizes scheduling tournaments to avoid conflicts with student-athletes' exams, ensuring a balanced environment for academic and athletic pursuits.

Stage set for FIP Asia Padel Cup 2025

Doha: Preparations are in full swing for the FIP Asia Padel Cup 2025, set to take place from October 17 to 24 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha.Tariq Zainal, President of the Asian Padel Federation and Secretary-General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation, confirmed that all logistical and technical arrangements are nearing completion to welcome participating national teams. The championship will unfold in two stages — the first from October 17 to 19, featuring 17 national teams ranked between 5th and 21st in the Asia and Oceania regions, divided into four groups.The top team from each group, along with the top four ranked nations in Asia, will qualify for the final stage, scheduled from October 20 to 24.During a press conference held today, the Federation announced a platinum sponsorship agreement with Qatar Rail for the tournament. The agreement was signed by Tariq Zainal, Secretary-General of the Federation, and Ajlan Al-Enazi, Head of Strategy and Business Development at Qatar Rail.“We are proud to partner with Qatar Rail, one of the leading institutions supporting national initiatives, particularly in sports,” said Zainal. “Their platinum sponsorship of this inaugural edition highlights the strong collaboration between the sports sector and national organizations in promoting padel in Qatar and across the region. It also reflects Qatar Rail’s vital role in supporting the community and contributing to its growth.”For his part, Ajlan Al-Enazi expressed his pleasure in Qatar Rail’s involvement in the event, saying:“We are delighted to be part of this landmark sporting occasion through our platinum sponsorship, which aligns with Qatar Rail’s social responsibility strategy and our continued commitment to supporting initiatives that promote healthy and active lifestyles in Qatar.”He added: “We firmly believe that sport plays a central role in shaping individuals, uniting communities, and providing a platform to showcase and nurture young national talent.

Strong Start for the FIVB Beach Volleyball U18 World Championships in Doha

DOHA -  The preliminary rounds of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Under-18 World Championships kicked off on Tuesday in Doha, marking Qatar’s first-ever hosting of this prestigious global event. The championship, held at the Al Gharafa Beach Courts, runs through October 11.The main draw lineup was completed Tuesdayh following the qualification rounds, which saw eight teams  four men’s and four women’s advance. On the men’s side, Brazil, Norway, Austria, and Ukraine secured their places, while in the women’s competition, the United States, Brazil, Hungary, and Slovakia booked their spots.The main draw was conducted immediately after the conclusion of the qualifiers, with Team Qatar fielding four squads two in the men’s category and two in the women’s.According to the draw, Qatar (1) men’s team was placed in Group A alongside Colombia, Canada, and Türkiye, while Qatar (2) was drawn into Group H with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil.In the women’s category, Qatar (1) was placed in Group A with Mexico, the United States, and Malaysia, whereas Qatar (2) landed in Group H with Canada, Gambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Team Qatar begins its campaign today, as the men’s Team Qatar (1), featuring Mousa Al-Khair and Ahmed Ziad, faces Türkiye in their opening match, while the pair of Jassim Al-Tamimi and Saad Al-Awad take on Saudi Arabia.On the women’s side, Qatar (1), represented by Bendaa Ibrahim and Mariam Mouhoub, will play two matches today the first against the United States and the second versus Malaysia. Similarly, Qatar (2), represented by Lujain Mahmoud and Selin Mahmoud, will meet the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gambia in their group fixtures.The top three teams from each of the eight groups will qualify for the knockout stage. Group winners will advance directly to the Round of 16, while the teams finishing second and third will move on to the Round of 24.The knockout rounds will begin on Friday, followed by the quarterfinals and semifinals on Saturday, with the medal matches concluding the championship on Sunday. 

Qatar held to a goalless draw by Oman

Doha: Hosts Qatar were held to a goalless draw by Oman in the opening Group A tie of the fourth/playoffs round of the Asian qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Wednesday.Qatar pushed hard and came close on a couple of occasions but were kept at bay by the solid defence of Oman. With 1-point each now, both Qatar and Oman will face the United Arab Emirates in their second clash with Oman playing first on Sunday, and UAE meeting Qatar three days later on Tuesday.Only the group winner will earn an automatic qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026 to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.At the post-match conference, Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui termed Oman’s defence as stubborn.“We performed well throughout the match against a stubborn team that defended well and closed down spaces. Despite that, we created several opportunities but couldn’t convert them into goals,” the Spaniard lamented.He also felt that the best players were on the field. “The starting lineup was ideal given the injuries, and all the players gave their best to achieve the desired result. When you have the chances and you are unable to take advantage, then you have to be humble and compete hard. It means that on the day that you can’t win, you have to avoid to lose. Today we had the right mentality, so we have one point. We have the half of the competition. We have to recover well and to face the next challenge.”Were Qatar less offensive? “I repeat we have to analyze how much and how much means how you attack and how you defend. I think that we defended really. I think that the team will show good maturity a little bit. We are in competition. We have to recover well. I think we don’t talk about what we missed, we have to put focus on the things that are really well.“We will continue to pursue our dream of qualifying for the World Cup. Today’s draw against Oman hasn’t negatively impacted the team or added pressure ahead of the UAE match on October 14.”Qatar face a big challenge against UAE but the coach hoped that his side would be up to the task.“I trust in the team, in their work. I think, they are working really well. We have a big, big enormous challenge in front of us. A big dream and when you are following one dream there is nothing else (of qualifying for the World Cup). This is the dream you have to realize. So we have to continue with what we have now. It is time to recover well and to think about the next match,” stressed Lopetegui.Oman’s highly-experienced coach Carlos Queiroz said that the stalemate was the best result for both sides. “We performed well and managed to stop Qatar’s attacks, which we expected given they were playing at home,” said Queiroz.“We knew the match would be tough, so we played with high spirit. Despite our solid defense, we also created chances but couldn’t score. A draw is the best result for both teams today. A loss would have hurt our chances of World Cup qualification. We don’t have much time before facing the UAE, but we’ll prepare well to keep our World Cup dream alive.”Quieroz also appreciated Qatar’s play but added that Oman also deserves fans’ respect for the way they played today. “Qatar make great efforts in the game, different moments. It is the beauty of Qatar to start the game on a strong note. We knew that this is the style of Qatar when they start briskly, they go against every single team. We build up our strategy to make a contention, stop them, create a fear factor on them. We cut all the solutions that usually they use to win matches. And when we created that frustration, it was when our players began to play better and better, control the game, and we start to create our chances.“I think the result is fair, more than fair. But one thing again, I saw my boys. They deserve our respect. They deserve that the fans are proud of them.”Earlier the coaches were more exemplified with their gestures on the field. Lopetegui threw his hands out in desperation when Boualem Khoukhi missed an early chance in the 13th minute being off target.Qatar’s Sultan Al Brake and Edmílson Junior also pushed early but with no success.Oman tested Qatar’s debutant goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada in the 27th minute when Issam Al Sabhi skipped made a powerful left-footed shot but it was well held by the custodian.Qatar almost capitalized six minutes later when Mohammad Al Mannai slipped a clever ball through to Akram Afif, who tried to catch Oman napping but Thani Al Rushaidi was up to the task with a solid intervention.Nasser Al Rawahi came close to finding the opener for Oman after seeing his glancing header whisk over the bar off a corner, while Qatar’s push for goal in the closing stages of the half came from Afif, whose effort was easily dealt by the Omani defence.Afif came knocking on Oman’s door again four minutes after the restart, bursting through the centre and weaving past defenders before cutting inside the box on his favourite right foot, only to drag his effort just wide.Oman almost caused problems for Julen Lopetegui’s side on 69 minutes when Abunada rushed off his line to clear a cross into the box and in doing so left his goal exposed but Abdullah Fawaz could not find the target from distance.Almoez Ali came on in the 57th minute for Ahmed Al Ganehi but couldn’t inspire Qatar tovictory as the teams settled for a share of the spoils.