Team Qatar's Beach Volleyball duo rise to sixth place in World Rankings

Lausanne:  Team Qatar’s men’s beach volleyball duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, have climbed to sixth place in the latest FIVB world rankings, a significant leap from their previous tenth position.The Qatari pair now holds 5,120 points, placing them sixth globally in the standings released by the International Volleyball Federation. At the top of the rankings remain Norway’s Anders Berntsen Mol and Christian Sørum with 8,600 points.The updated rankings also saw Argentina’s Nicolás Capogrosso and Tomás Capogrosso rise to second place for the first time with 6,820 points, while the Dutch duo of Steven van de Velde and Matthew Immers advanced to third. Meanwhile, Sweden’s David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig slipped to fourth.This new milestone reflects the consistent international performance of the Qatari team and reinforces their ambition to achieve even greater success in the current season. 

Doha all set to host FIBA 3×3 U23 Nations League 2025

DOHA -  The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has unveiled full details of its upcoming hosting of the FIBA 3×3 U23 Nations League, to be held at the Federation’s indoor arena in Al Gharrafa from May 28 to June 3, 2025. The event will welcome 12 elite teams, six in the men’s category and six in the women’s offering a glimpse of what Qatar aims to deliver at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027.The announcement was made during a press conference today, attended by Mr. Talal Saad Al-Mughaiseeb, Tournament Director; Mr. Yaseen Ismail, Director of National 3×3 Teams; and Dr. Khalid Al-Qahtani, a member of QBF’s Media Committee, along with a large presence of both local and international media representatives.Speaking at the event, Mr. Al-Mughaiseeb emphasized that the tournament represents a key milestone in Qatar’s growing track record of successfully organizing international basketball events.He highlighted that the tournament will feature national teams from across the globe, including host nation Qatar, as well as New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Chinese Taipei. These teams will be divided into two groups of three in both the men’s and women’s competitions.Al-Mughaiseeb confirmed that attendance will be free for all fans, extending an open invitation to basketball enthusiasts to fill the stands and cheer on Team Qatar, which will take the court with a vibrant, youth-driven squad full of emerging talent.He also revealed that valuable prizes will be awarded to fans during the final day of competition, as part of the Federation’s efforts to create an exciting, interactive atmosphere that encourages strong community engagement and builds a deep-rooted culture of national team support.The QBF is placing significant importance on this tournament as a cornerstone of its promotional campaign for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, an event that Qatar will host for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa. Al-Mughaiseeb described the Nations League as a full-scale technical and logistical rehearsal for the global spectacle to come.He added that the tournament also serves to build capacity among Qatari sports professionals—administrators, organizers, and referees alike as the country gears up for major international engagements in the coming years.For his part, Mr. Yaseen Ismail, Director of National Teams, voiced full confidence in the capabilities of the Qatari U23 squad. He noted that the players have undergone extensive preparation, including both domestic and overseas training camps. With the backing of a home crowd and the advantage of familiar courts, he expressed optimism that the team would deliver performances worthy of national pride.Ismail also confirmed that the QBF arena has been fully prepared to accommodate the large number of spectators expected to attend the matches, noting that the venue has a capacity of approximately 600 fans.Looking ahead, he disclosed that the Federation is considering hosting future editions of the tournament at iconic public venues across Doha such as Souq Waqif and popular shopping malls as part of an integrated effort to both promote 3×3 basketball and boost Qatar’s tourism appeal ahead of the 2027 World Cup.Dr. Khalid Al-Qahtani, a member of QBF’s Media Committee, stated that comprehensive media coverage has been planned for the tournament, including live broadcasts of all matches via the Federation’s official digital platforms, as well as live streaming through the FIBA website. This strategy, he said, is aimed at expanding the event’s global reach and strengthening engagement with audiences both inside and outside Qatar.With preparations in full swing, the 3×3 U23 Nations League promises to be more than just a tournament it will be a showcase of Qatar’s sporting ambition and a prelude to the world-class basketball celebration awaiting in 2027.

Sheikh Joaan Meets Korean NOC President to Advance Olympic Collaboration

Doha - His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), met with Seungmin Ryu, President of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC), on the sidelines of the ongoing ITTF meetings following the conclusion of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals – Doha 2025 yesterday.The meeting marked the first official engagement between the two National Olympic Committees since Mr. Ryu’s election earlier this year. A highly respected figure in international sport, Ryu brings to his leadership deep experience as both an Olympic champion and a long-time contributor to Olympic institutions, including his role as Chairman of the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation.The leaders exchanged views on strengthening cooperation between Qatari and Korean sports institutions, with particular emphasis on Olympic development, legacy planning, and strategic engagement across both summer and winter disciplines. The conversation also reflected the shared ambition of both NOCs to deepen cross-regional partnerships and advance sport as a platform for long-term collaboration.In attendance at the meeting was His Excellency Jassim Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee.As two countries with growing global sporting footprints and complementary expertise, the meeting reaffirmed the value of sustained dialogue and institutional exchange between Qatar and the Republic of Korea, both as committed members of the Olympic Movement and as strategic partners in sport.

HH the Amir Attends His Highness's Football Cup Final

Doha, (QNA) - HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani attended the final match of the 2025 HH the Amir Football Cup between Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa, which was held at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday evening.HH the Personal Representative of the Amir Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Thani, HE Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim along with a number of Their Excellencies sheikhs, ministers and senior officials attended the match.The match was also attended by HE President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, HE Minister of Youth and Sports of the Syrian Arab Republic Mohammed Sameh Hamedh, a number of heads of Arab and international sports federations, members of the press and media, and a crowd of football fans.The match ended with Al Gharafa defeating Al Rayyan 2-1.After that, HH the Amir handed the Al Gharafa players the cup and gold medals, and handed the Al Rayyan players the silver medals. (QNA) 

Calderano makes history, three-peat for Chuqin and Yingsha

DOHA - Brazilian Hugo Calderano created history at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships - Doha 2025 Saturday as he became the first South American to reach global final.At the Lusail Sports Complex, the 28-year-old beat China’s fifth seed Liang Jingkun 4-3 (15-13, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 3-11, 7-11, 11-9), for a shot at becoming Brazil’s first-ever world champion. Calderano recently made history as his country's first paddler to win the men's singles gold at the ITTF World Cup in Macao.Calderano battled fiercely against Jingkun. He found himself on the back foot early, trailing 6-9 in the opening game but he responded with deceptive angles. The set became a tense affair, with Calderano edging ahead and Jingkun saving five game points, but Calderano finally clinched it to take a 1-0 lead..The second game was equally intense, but Calderano remained sharp, using spin, angles, and changes in pace to overpower his opponent, sealing it 11-7. In the third, Jingkun regrouped to take the set keeping himself in the match.Calderano came out firing in the fourth, surging to a 5-1 lead with a masterful blend of slow spin and speed as Brazilian reclaimed control and push ahead 3-1 in the match. Jingkun responded emphatically in the fifth and sixth set, leveling the match at 3-3 and setting up a dramatic decider.The final game saw Calderano struggle with unforced errors early, falling behind 0-3. But he quickly recovered, winning five consecutive points to turn the tide. The change of ends favoured Calderano, as he surged to a 10-3 lead and held firm to claim victory in a marathon battle.Calderano will face another Chinese Wang Chuqin, whom he defeated in the World Cup semi-finals last month in Macau. Chuqin beat Sweden’s No. 7 seed Truls Moregardh 4-2 (5-11, 11-8, 11-2, 12-10, 12-10) in the semi-final Saturday.Wang exacted revenge on Moregard after his shock defeat to the Swede in the round of 32 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Moregard made it through to the final, where he lost to world champion Fan Zhendong.Wang will fancy his chances of finally getting his hands on the world singles title as he looks to upgrade the silver from two years ago. The two-time Olympic champion in doubles events can capture the full set of gold medals at the world championships. The 25-year-old won the men’s and mixed doubles in Durban 2023.Earlier, Wang and Sun Yingsha claimed their third straight mixed doubles crown beating Japan’s Maharu Yoshimura and Satsuki Odo 3-1 (7-11,8-11, 11-7, 8-11) in the fina.In the women’s competition, defending champion Sun made short work of Japan’s Ito Mima in their semi-final. Sun defeated the eighth seed in straight sets, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9, 11-4, to secure her third straight singles final at the global showpiece. In other semis, China's Wang Manyu beat Chen Xingtong to storm into the final.In the women's doubles, Wang Manyu and Kuai Man reached the final beating Japan’s No. 4 seed, Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 to book their spot in the final. This marks Wang Manyu’s fourth appearance in the women’s doubles event at the World Championships, where she has already secured two gold medals.In the men's doubles, Kao Cheng-Jui and Lin Yun-Ju made it to the final defeating the top-ranked French duo of Felix and Alexis Lebrun. They will now face the Japanese World No. 2 pairing of Hiroto Shinozuka and Shunsuke Togami, who made it to the final courtesy of a walkover from the second French pairing of Florian Bourrassaud and Esteban Dorr. 

Draw held for AVC Men’s Nations Cup Bahrain 2025

Manila: The official draw for the AVC Men’s Nations Cup Bahrain 2025 has been finalized, with twelve teams set to compete from June 17, divided into four groups of three. The tournament will follow a round-robin format in the preliminary stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. The remaining teams will contest the 9th–12th classification round.The draw, held on Sunday, placed hosts Bahrain alongside Indonesia and Thailand in Pool A. Qatar, the top-seeded team and reigning champions of the 2024 AVC Men’s Challenge Cup held in Isa Town, Bahrain, lead Pool B, where they will be joined by Australia and Kazakhstan.Pool C features second-seeded Pakistan, along with Chinese Taipei and the Philippines. Meanwhile, Pool D consists of third seeds Korea, Vietnam, and New Zealand.The competition kicks off on June 17, with a highly anticipated opening match between Bahrain and Thailand – a repeat of the final of the 2023 AVC Men’s Challenge Cup in Chinese Taipei. Other first-day fixtures include Qatar vs. Kazakhstan, Pakistan vs. the Philippines, and Korea vs. New Zealand.The Nations Cup promises to deliver exciting volleyball action as teams from across the continent vie for regional supremacy.