Qatar and Saudi Arabia Meet in Crucial Encounter

Qatar’s U23 national football team will face Saudi Arabia in a challenging second-round Group D encounter at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The match will kick off at 1:30 pm Doha time at Mizuho Park in Nagoya, with Team Qatar looking to bounce back from their opening-round defeat to South Korea.Qatar enter the match determined to regain their momentum following a difficult start against South Korea, which ended in a 4-1 defeat. During the latest training sessions, the technical staff, led by head coach José Ángel, worked on addressing the mistakes that emerged in the opening match.Team Qatar are aware that the encounter against Saudi Arabia will not be easy, given the strength of their opponents and their own determination to secure a positive result that strengthens their position in the group.The match carries significant importance for Qatar, who will be looking to turn the page after their opening defeat and keep their hopes in the competition alive by securing a positive result against Saudi Arabia before the final round of the group stage.

Team Qatar 3x3 Basketball Raise Their Ambitions at the Asian Games

Nagoya/Sabah Saadoun Al Kuwari, Head of the Qatar Basketball Federation delegation, confirmed that Qatar’s 3x3 basketball team are ready to compete at the Asian Games, noting that the team enter the competition with high ambitions, foremost among them challenging for a medal.Al Kuwari said Qatar will seek to build on the level they demonstrated in previous appearances, particularly after winning the silver medal at the Asian Games in China, an achievement that provides the players with additional motivation to perform at their best in the competition.He added that the objective is to maintain a consistent and stable level throughout the tournament and approach the competition one game at a time, stressing that the technical and administrative staff worked to provide the team with the best possible preparation before arriving in Japan.He explained that the men’s team held a domestic training camp in Doha during the past period, featuring intensive training sessions and a number of warm-up matches, including games against Serbia.Al Kuwari noted that the friendly matches against Serbia provided an important opportunity for the coaching staff to assess the players’ readiness.Team Qatar hope the match against Indonesia will provide a strong start to their medal challenge, with the players looking to impose their style from the outset through strong defence, accurate shooting and efficient use of their opportunities, before facing Chinese Taipei in another important test of their ambitions.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia Meet in Crucial Encounter

Qatar’s U23 national football team will face Saudi Arabia in a challenging second-round Group D encounter at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The match will kick off at 1:30 pm Doha time at Mizuho Park in Nagoya, with Team Qatar looking to bounce back from their opening-round defeat to South Korea.Qatar enter the match determined to regain their momentum following a difficult start against South Korea, which ended in a 4-1 defeat. During the latest training sessions, the technical staff, led by head coach José Ángel, worked on addressing the mistakes that emerged in the opening match.Team Qatar are aware that the encounter against Saudi Arabia will not be easy, given the strength of their opponents and their own determination to secure a positive result that strengthens their position in the group.The match carries significant importance for Qatar, who will be looking to turn the page after their opening defeat and keep their hopes in the competition alive by securing a positive result against Saudi Arabia before the final round of the group stage.

Qatar Gymnastics Team Heads to Japan for Asian Games Challenge

DOHA – Qatar’s gymnastics delegation left Doha early Tuesday, September 15, bound for Japan to participate in the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, scheduled to be held across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.The artistic gymnastics competition is scheduled for September 20-24 at Nippon Gaishi Hall (Rainbow Hall) in Nagoya, where the continent’s top gymnasts will vie for honours.Qatar’s team comprises Rakan Al Harith, Mehrdad Ghadimi and Salma Nasser, who will compete under coaches Jorgen Sifkanen and Mohammed Al Dulaimi. The delegation also includes administrator Samira Saeed and physiotherapist Issam Abu Ouda.Al Hareth and Ghadimi completed their preparations at a training camp in Armenia, while Nasser undertook a domestic training camp in Doha due to academic commitments that prevented her from joining the team’s overseas camps.The Qatari presence will extend beyond the athletes, with Abeer Al Buainain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Gymnastics Federation and an international judge, and international judge Mahmoud Al Saadi joining the competition’s judging panel. Their participation underlines the growing expertise of Qatari gymnastics officials at major continental sporting events.The gymnastics delegation forms part of Qatar’s 243-member athlete contingent representing 18 sports federations at the Games. The continental showpiece features 469 events across 43 sports and brings together Asia’s elite athletes in pursuit of top honours.The Qatar Gymnastics Federation highlighted the importance of the participation in providing the team with valuable international experience, strengthening competitive readiness and supporting the continued development of Qatari gymnastics on the Asian and international stages.

Korea Overcome team Qatar in Asian Games Football Opener

AICHI-NAGOYA – Qatar’s U-23 national team opened their football campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games with a 1-4 defeat to Korea Republic on Tuesday at Mizuho Park Stadium.Marwan Sharif scored Qatar’s consolation goal in the 85th minute, while South Korea’s goals came from Eom Ji-sung, who completed a hat-trick in the seventh, 20th and first minute of added time in the opening half, and Kim Myeong-jung in the 66th minute.South Korea took the lead in the seventh minute when Eom Ji-sung broke into the area and fired a shot into the net. The same player doubled his side’s advantage in the 20th minute with another incisive run and finish.Eom completed his hat-trick just before the interval, breaking through unmarked and placing his effort beyond the goalkeeper in the 45+1st minute.South Korea continued to dominate after the restart and added a fourth in the 66th minute when Kim Myeong-jung made his way into the area before sending a low shot into the net.Qatar pulled one goal back in the 85th minute through Marwan Sharif, who seized on a loose ball in the Korean defence before firing into the net.A total of 15 teams are competing in the football tournament, divided into four groups. Three groups contain four teams each, while Group D features three teams, with Qatar drawn alongside South Korea and Saudi Arabia.The group stage is being played in a single round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing directly to the quarterfinals. The tournament then continues in a knockout format through to the final and the third-place playoff.

World No. 1 Mostafa Asal Advances to Qatar Classic Squash Semifinals

DOHA - Egyptian world No. 1 Mostafa Asal advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 QTerminals Qatar Classic Squash Championship after defeating compatriot and world No. 8 Aly Abou Eleinen three games to one on Tuesday.Asal overcame Abou Eleinen in the quarterfinals 11-5, 11-4, 12-14, 12-10 in a grueling 91-minute encounter on the main glass court at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha.The world No. 1 will face England's world No. 7 Marwan ElShorbagy in the semifinals on Thursday. ElShorbagy secured his place after defeating France's Gregoire Marche three games to two, 11-5, 11-9, 1-11, 3-11, 11-7, in 52 minutes.In the women's competition, Egyptian world No. 1 Hania El Hammamy continued her title defense in Qatar, advancing to the semifinals without taking to the court after compatriot Nouran Gohar withdrew due to injury.El Hammamy will face a difficult test in Thursday's semifinal against in-form Malaysian world No. 4 Sivasangari Subramaniam, who also advanced without playing after her Belgian opponent Tinne Gilis withdrew due to injury.The Malaysian has produced strong performances in recent years, winning the gold medal at the most recent Asian Games. She also claimed the 2024 London Classic title after defeating several of Egypt's leading players and won the Australian Open in 2026.The remaining quarterfinal matches will conclude on Wednesday, with New Zealand's world No. 2 and defending champion Paul Coll facing France's world No. 5 Victor Crouin, while Egyptian world No. 4 Karim Abdel Gawad will take on compatriot Youssef Soliman.In the women's draw, Egyptian world No. 2 Amina Orfi will face compatriot and world No. 6 Fayrouz Aboelkheir, while Malaysia's world No. 25 Rachel Arnold will take on England's Jasmine Hutton.Arnold had eliminated world No. 3 Nour El Sherbini, an eight-time world champion and the 2024 Qatar Classic champion, in the second round in one of the tournament's biggest upsets.Following his victory and qualification for the semifinals, world No. 1 Mostafa Asal told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that his match against Aly Abou Eleinen had been difficult, describing his compatriot as a highly skilled player. He said he had nevertheless managed to take control of the match and secure the victory, and expressed hope that he would be able to claim the Qatar Classic title this year.Regarding the Qatari PSA Squash Tour Platinum event, Asal noted that the Qatar Classic represented an ideal and strong start for him as he seeks to defend his position at the top of the world rankings, adding that winning the tournament would give him significant momentum for the remainder of the World Tour.The world No. 1 also expressed his great satisfaction at playing at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, describing the competitive atmosphere at the Qatar Classic as particularly close to his heart and saying it made him feel as though he was playing at home, given the exceptional organization provided by the association in cooperation with the Qatar Squash Federation.For his part, England's Marwan ElShorbagy expressed his delight at winning and advancing to the semifinals. Speaking to reporters, he said his match against France's Marche had been extremely difficult and competitive, noting that the Frenchman was one of the best and most experienced players in the world.ElShorbagy also expressed his great appreciation for the opportunity to be and play in Qatar. He praised the continued support and warm welcome extended to players at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex and highlighted the passion for the sport shown by both spectators and organizers.Concluding his remarks, ElShorbagy particularly praised the exceptional organization of the Qatar Classic, describing it as one of the best tournaments in the world. He also commended the hospitality and facilities provided to the players, including accommodation at top hotels, transportation and outstanding services, which he said helped players focus and perform at their highest level on court.Meanwhile, world No. 1 and defending champion Hania El Hammamy expressed hope of retaining the title for a second consecutive year. However, she noted that entering the tournament at the top of the women's world rankings placed additional responsibility on her and presented a significant challenge, adding that competition this season had been intense, with very little separating the players in the world's top 30.El Hammamy described playing in Doha as particularly special and close to her heart following her triumph in last year's edition. She said the atmosphere, warm welcome and support from the fans in Doha gave her additional motivation to produce her best performance and progress deep into the tournament.