Team Qatar Drawn in Group B of Inaugural West Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship

Manama: The draw for the inaugural West Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship, conducted remotely, has placed Team Qatar in Group B, alongside Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.The tournament will take place in the Kingdom of Bahrain from July 17 to 27, featuring eight national teams divided into two groups. Group A includes Jordan, the UAE, Lebanon, and Bahrain, while Group B features Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.Team Qatar enters the tournament with strong ambitions to contend for the title, backed by a squad of talented players and valuable experience from regional and international competitions. The national team’s preparations are ongoing, with a strong focus on enhancing physical and technical readiness, aiming to deliver a performance that reflects the high reputation of Qatar’s volleyball, which has achieved notable success across Asia in recent years.This first edition of the championship marks a promising initiative by the West Asia Volleyball Association (WAVA), aimed at promoting the sport within the region and fostering healthy competition among participating teams. The organizers hope the event will become a regular annual fixture on the regional sports calendar. 

Qatar's B team to participate in William Jones International Men's Basketball Championship

Doha : The draw for the 44th edition of the William Jones International Men's Basketball Championship has been conducted. The tournament is set to be hosted by the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) from July 12 to 20, 2025. A diverse array of teams from different continents will participate, including the Qatar B team, which will face the formidable challenge of playing 8 matches over a span of 9 consecutive days.The teams taking part will include Qatar, Bahrain, Japan, Malaysia, the UAE, the Philippine team Strong Group, and Australia. Chinese Taipei will enter the competition with two teams, A and B, in what is anticipated to be one of the most intense and competitive tournaments regarding both participation and scheduling.The Qatar B team will kick off their tournament journey on July 12 against the UAE, followed by a match against Japan on July 13, and then Australia on July 14. The next day, they will compete against the Philippine team Strong Group. Their matches will continue on July 16 against Chinese Taipei B, followed by a game against Bahrain on July 17, then a match against Chinese Taipei A on July 19, and they will wrap up their participation with a game against Malaysia on July 20.The team will finalize its internal training camp in Doha by July 10. This training camp will include rigorous physical and technical assessments to evaluate the players' readiness and to finalize the roster of 14 players in preparation for their trip to Chinese Taipei.The William Jones Tournament ranks among the oldest unofficial international basketball competitions, with its inaugural edition taking place in 1977.Named in honor of the late Renato William Jones, the founder of the International Basketball Federation, this tournament showcases national teams and university clubs from across the globe, serving as an excellent platform for acquiring experience and gaining international visibility.Following this tournament, the Qatar B team is set to compete in the Arab Championship for National Teams, which will occur in the Tunisian city of Nabeul from July 23 to August 3, 2025. This participation is part of a continuous preparation strategy designed to blend seasoned players with emerging talent.In this context, Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams, emphasized that this participation comes at an ideal time to test the players' abilities and prepare them for upcoming events.He said, "The national team will participate in the William Jones International Basketball Championship, playing eight matches in nine days. This requires great physical and mental effort from the players, in addition to high-quality training from the technical staff to achieve the required balance and maximize the benefit from the 14-player roster participating in the tournament." Al Kuwari added: "All these preparations are geared towards one goal: serious participation in the Arab Championship in Tunisia, which is an important milestone in the Qatari national team's transition and renewal process. The William Jones Tournament represents a unique opportunity for a group of our young players to gain experience by playing against strong teams and experienced teams." 

Lopetegui announces Qatar squad for Austria training camp

Doha: Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui has announced the Qatar national football team’s squad for the upcoming training camp in Austria, scheduled from July 11-27.The camp is held as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers play off, which will be co-hosted by Qatar and Saudi Arabia and will be held in a centralised format from October 8-14, 2025.Al Sadd midfielder Guilherme Torres has received his first call-up to Qatar, while as announced on Monday veteran forward Hassan al-Haydos makes a surprise return following his retirement from international football earlier this year. The 33-year-old, Qatar’s most capped player with 183 appearances and 41 goals, was included at the request of Lopetegui.Al-Haydos, a two-time AFC Asian Cup winner (2019 and 2023), recently renewed his contract with Qatar Stars League champions Al Sadd and has continued to contribute at club level. Several changes were made from the squad that faced Iran and Uzbekistan in May. Goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb was omitted, while Marwan Sharif and Shehab al-Laithi were brought in. Al Duhail defender Youssef Ayman and Al Sadd’s Abdullah al-Yazidi were also included in the defensive ranks.As part of the camp, Al Annabi will play two international friendly matches. Qatar missed out on direct qualification for World Cup after finishing fourth in Group A during the third round of the Asian qualifiers, but managed to secure a spot in the play-offs.A total of six teams — Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Oman, and Indonesia — will compete in the play-off.These teams will be divided into two groups of three, with each group playing in a round-robin format. The group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup. The second-placed teams from each group will face off in a two-legged playoff on November 13 and 18, 2025.The winner will then advance to the intercontinental play-off. The official draw for the Asian play-off will be held on July 17 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

Cherif, Ahmed begin win with at Gstaad Elite 16

Gstaad, Switzerland: Qatar’s beach volleyball stars Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan kicked off their Gstaad Elite16 campaign with a gritty win in Switzerland, overcoming Portugal’s Hugo Campos and Joao Pedrosa in a thrilling three-set battle. The former Olympic bronze medallists held their nerve in the decider to seal a 2-1 (21-18, 23-25, 15-11) victory and make a strong start in Group C of the Beach Pro Tour event.Next up, Younousse and Tijan will take on the highly-rated Norwegian pair Henrik Nicolai Mol and Matthias Berntsen, followed by a clash against Austria’s Christoph Dressler and Philipp Waller as they aim to advance to the knockout stage. 

Qatar to host 2026 FIVB U-17 World Championship

Lausanne: The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has officially announced that Qatar will host the second edition of the FIVB U-17 Boys’ World Championship, scheduled to take place from August 19 to 29, 2026.This global event marks a major milestone in Qatar’s ongoing journey to develop volleyball at the youth level and reinforces the country’s growing reputation as a world-class hub for international sporting events. The selection reflects Qatar’s advanced infrastructure, expert organizational capabilities, and steadfast support from national sporting institutions.Ali Ghanem Al Kuwari, President of both the Qatar Volleyball Association and the West Asian Volleyball Federation, expressed pride in the FIVB’s decision, stating that it affirms the international confidence in Qatar’s sports ecosystem.“We are honored to have been chosen to host this prestigious tournament,” Al Kuwari said. “This represents another step forward in our mission to nurture young talent and elevate the sport of volleyball across the region.”He extended his gratitude to the Qatar Olympic Committee, led by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, for its continuous support of team sports, particularly volleyball. Al Kuwari emphasized that this backing has been instrumental in achieving both local and international success.He also confirmed that preparations will commence immediately to ensure a world-class tournament experience, with close coordination between national stakeholders to deliver outstanding logistical, technical, and organizational standards.“The success of this championship will be measured not only by the quality of organization,” Al Kuwari added, “but also by its long-term impact on youth sports development in Qatar.”Hosting the championship, he noted, presents a valuable opportunity to showcase Qatar’s excellence as a sports and tourism destination, reinforcing its global standing and highlighting the role of sport in fostering cultural exchange and development. 

Qatar Olympic Committee and Qatar Finance and Business Academy Sign Agreement to Enhance Institutional Cooperation

DOHA -  The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC)  announced today the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Qatar Finance and Business Academy, aimed at strengthening institutional partnership in the fields of training and development through specialized programs and high-quality workshops that contribute to advancing the administrative, leadership, and financial competencies of national professionals in the sports sector.The agreement was signed by Mr. Hamad Lahdan Al-Muhannadi, Director of the Support Services Sector at the QOC, and Dr. Khalifa Al-Salahi Al-Yafei , the CEO of Qatar Finance and Business Academy, in the presence of several officials from both sides.The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration in financial planning, leadership, and governance by providing customized training aligned with the Qatar Olympic Committee’s needs, thereby enhancing performance and advancing staff capabilities.The agreement includes joint workshops, training programs, and expertise exchange in HR, management, and consultancy, along with implementing sports marketing strategies aligned with international standards.Mr. Hamad Lahdan Al-Mohannadi affirmed that this agreement comes within the QOC ’s commitment to forging strategic and effective partnerships with leading national institutions in finance, business, and management, aimed at institutional excellence and optimal investment in human capital in alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030.He also emphasized that this partnership builds on a series of strategic initiatives focused on financial and leadership development, reflecting the Qatar Olympic Committee’s strong commitment to empowering its administrative and technical teams and enhancing institutional performance.On this occasion, Dr. Khalifa Al-Salahi Al-Yafei said : “ This  memorandum represents an important milestone in the Academy’s journey to expand its national partnerships, contributing to the empowerment of Qatari talent and enhancing their readiness across various fields. The Academy is proud to collaborate with the Qatar Olympic Committee by offering tailor-made training programs that address the needs of the sports sector and align with its ambitions.”“We believe that investing in human capital is a fundamental pillar for enhancing Qatar’s international competitiveness. We look forward to this collaboration having a tangible impact in supporting the Committee’s efforts to achieve sustainable institutional performance and in building a new generation of sports leaders.” Added Dr. Al-Yafei.