Gulf Padel Championship Kicks Off Next Monday

DOHA - Doha will host the Gulf Padel Championship Qatar 2025 from Sept. 15 to 19.The championship is organized by the Qatar Tennis Federation at the Padel In Courts at Aspire, with the participation of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.Secretary-General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation Tariq Zainal, confirmed in a press conference Wednesday that the championship will feature competitions in three main categories: men's, women's, and juniors.The technical meeting and draw are scheduled to be held on September 14 at the Retaj West Walk Hotel, Doha.During the conference, the Qatar Padel Federation announced the signing of a platinum sponsorship agreement with Qatar Rail for the GCC Padel Championship 2025.The agreement was co-signed by Secretary General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation Tariq Zainal, and Director of Communications and Public Relations, on behalf of Qatar Rail Abdullah Al Mawlawi.Zainal expressed the Qatar Federation's pride in Qatar Rail joining as a platinum partner of the Gulf Padel Championship, given its significant support for sports, athletes, and community work in Qatar.He emphasized that this partnership reflects the integrated efforts between national institutions and the sports sector, which gives the Federation greater momentum to continue developing Padel and strengthening its presence in the GCC, regionally, and internationally.For his part, Al Mawlawi said that Qatar Rail believes in the pivotal role that sports play in developing communities by improving quality of life and ensuring the health and safety of its members.  

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. 

School Olympic Program Returns for 19th Edition, Expands to 33 Sports Across Qatar

DOHA  – The 19th edition of the School Olympic Program (SOP) was unveiled in Doha on Tuesday, featuring an unprecedented lineup of 33 sports and drawing the participation of thousands of students from Qatar’s public and private schools.The details were revealed at a press conference attended by H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, Chairman of the SOP Organizing Committee, Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Muftah, Executive Director of the SOP, Mr. Sabah Rabiah Al-Kuwari, representing Ooredoo, Ms. Maryam Nouman Al-Emadi from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Ms. Al-Anoud Al-Musnad from Qatar Foundation, and Mr. Nasser Al-Ahbabi from Aspire Academy.The event also marked the signing of a new partnership agreement with Ooredoo, which continues as the official telecommunications partner of the program.In his remarks, H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani underscored the program’s pivotal role in shaping school sports in Qatar. Since its inception in the 2007/2008 academic year, the SOP has been implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Qatar Olympic Committee.He expressed his deep appreciation to H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, for his steadfast support.“We are proud to launch the 19th edition of the School Olympic Program for the 2025/2026 season,” he said. “This new edition represents another step forward in building a brighter future for our youth, while carrying forward a legacy of achievements established over the years.”He added: “Thanks to the dedication of our schools and the determination of our students, the SOP has become a cornerstone of school sports. By expanding the program to 33 sports, we are opening wider horizons for participation and excellence in line with our national vision.”Mr. Sabah Rabiah Al-Kuwari hailed the renewed partnership, describing the SOP as “an inspiring platform for talent discovery and a powerful driver of healthy, active lifestyles in the community.”“We are delighted to extend our sponsorship,” he said. “The program not only fosters sporting excellence and competitive spirit, but also encourages healthier habits among young people.”Reflecting on last year’s success, Al-Kuwari noted:“We were truly impressed by the scale of participation, with more than 25,000 students from 500 schools involved. This remarkable turnout underlines both the growing enthusiasm among students and the program’s vital role in nurturing future sporting talent.” 

QAF Announces Arrival of Team Qatar Athletes in Japan

DOHA  – The Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) announced on Wednesday the arrival of the national athletics team in Tokyo, ahead of their participation in the 25th World Athletics Championships, which will take place in Japan from September 13 to 21. The global event is set to feature more than 2,000 athletes from over 200 nations, competing for more than 100 medals.In a statement published on its official account on the social media platform X, QAF confirmed that the team had checked into the designated athletes’ hotel, allocated for competitors in both track and field events, following the conclusion of their preparatory camp in Narita, Japan.The federation emphasized that Team Qatar enters this edition of the championships with high ambitions, spearheaded by Olympic and world champion Mutaz Barshim in the high jump, alongside world-class hurdler Abderrahman Samba, who will compete in the 400m hurdles as well as the 4x400m relay with the Qatari relay squad.Qatar’s delegation includes 12 athletes: 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. 

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. 

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.