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) 

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.

QOC President attends final day of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Doha 2025

Doha – H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) attended the final day’s action of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals – Doha 2025, held on Sunday at Lusail Arena.The championships, which ran from 17 to 25 May across Lusail Arena and Qatar University, featured 640 male and female athletes representing 127 countries from all five continents.The final day was also attended by H.E. Dr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, Ms. Petra Sörling, President of the International Table Tennis Federation, Mr. Khalil Ahmed Al-Mohannadi, President of the Qatar, Arab, and Asian Table Tennis Federations, and Senior Executive Vice-President of the International Table Tennis Federation, along with a number of dignitaries and senior representatives of the Olympic and sports movement from across Asia and beyond. 

HH the Amir Holds Luncheon Banquet in Honor of HH the Amir's Cup Champions, Runners-Up

Doha: HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani hosted a luncheon banquet at Lusail Palace on Sunday in honor of the players, coaching and administrative staff of Al Gharafa Sports Club, the champions of His Highness's Cup 2025, alongside Al Rayyan Sports Club, the tournament’s runners-up.It was also attended by distinguished sports and media dignitaries, as well as representatives of the tournament’s sponsoring companies.HH Personal Representative of HH the Amir Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, were also in attendance. (QNA)

Qatar Drawn in Group A for FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025

DOHA - (QNA) - Qatar has been placed in Group A of the 11th edition of the FIFA Arab Cup 2025, following the official draw held Sunday in Doha.Qatar will compete in the group alongside Tunisia, Palestine, Libya, and the winner of the qualifying match between Syria and South Sudan.The tournament will take place from Dec. 1 to Dec. 18 in Doha under the supervision of FIFA, marking the second consecutive edition held in Qatar.FIFA previously awarded Qatar hosting rights for the next three Arab Cup editions - 2025, 2029 and 2033.According to the draw, Group B includes Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the winners of the Oman vs. Somalia and Yemen vs. Comoros qualifiers. Group C features Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and the winner of Kuwait vs. Mauritania.Group D includes Algeria, Iraq, and the winners of Bahrain vs. Djibouti and Lebanon vs. Sudan.  The draw ceremony featured former football stars including Qatar’s Hassan Al-Haydos, Algeria’s Rabah Madjer, Saudi Arabia’s Yasser Al-Qahtani, and Egypt’s Wael Gomaa.FIFA based team seeding on the April 3 FIFA World Ranking, with nine nations receiving direct entry to the final tournament and 14 teams set to compete in the preliminary round (playoffs), scheduled for Nov. 25-26 - just days before the main competition kicks off.The four top-seeded teams - Qatar (host), Algeria (defending champions), Egypt, and Morocco - were assigned to lead the four groups. Second-tier seeds included Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Jordan.The third tier featured the UAE and three playoff winners, while the fourth tier will consist of four remaining qualifiers.FIFA previously announced the seven qualifying matchups, divided by geographic region between Africa and Asia: Oman vs. Somalia; Bahrain vs. Djibouti; Syria vs. South Sudan; Palestine vs. Libya; Lebanon vs. Sudan; Kuwait vs. Mauritania; Yemen vs. Comoros.Based on the latest FIFA rankings, the nine teams that qualified directly to the finals are: Qatar (ranked 55), Morocco (12), Egypt (32), Algeria (36), Tunisia (49), Saudi Arabia (58), Iraq (59), Jordan (62), and the UAE (65).The last edition, FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021, was considered a major success. Held at 2022 World Cup venues, it attracted more than 571,000 spectators over 32 matches - averaging nearly 18,000 fans per game.Algeria won that tournament with a 2-0 extra-time victory over Tunisia in the final, held at Al Bayt Stadium in front of more than 60,000 fans.  

Curtain comes down on ITTF World Table Tennis Championships 2025

Doha: The ITTF World Table Tennis Championships 2025 came to a thrilling close at the Lusail Sports Complex on Sunday as China’s Wang Chuqin claimed his maiden world title, Japan’s Shunsuke Togami and Hiroto Shinozuka ended a 64-year with the men’s doubles title, and China’s Sun Yingsha defended her women’s singles crown in a gripping seven-game classic against Wang Manyu.Later at the presentationc eremony, Khalil Al Mohannadi, President of the Qatar, Arab and Asian Table Tennis Federations and First Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and ITTF President and Petra Sorling handed over the World Championship flag to Claire Brigall, President of the English Table Tennis Association, as England will host the next edition of the tournament in 2026.Chuqin overcame Brazil’s Hugo Calderano. China rounded off its campaign in style with a flawless women’s doubles performance from Wang Manyu and Kuai Man, securing their fourth gold of the tournament and reaffirming their dominance on the global stage.World No. 2 Chuqin delivered a masterclass performance to claim his first Men’s Singles World Championship title, defeating World No. 3 Hugo Calderano of Brazil 4-1 (12-10, 11-9, 4-11, 11-2, 11-7) in a high-quality final.With this triumph, Wang not only secures his place in table tennis history but also becomes the first left-handed Men’s Singles World Champion in over three decades—since Frenchman Jean-Philippe Gatien’s victory in 1993.The victory also served as sweet revenge for Wang, who had suffered a narrow 3-4 defeat to Calderano just weeks earlier in the semifinals of the ITTF World Cup in Macao. This time, however, the Chinese star left no room for doubt, bringing his A-game in both physical preparation and tactical execution.World No. 1 and defending champion Sun Yingsha successfully retained her women’s singles crown in a pulsating seven-game final against compatriot Wang Manyu, in what will be remembered as one of the all-time classic matches in World Championship history.The nearly 90-minute contest was a rollercoaster of momentum swings and high-quality rallies, with both players showcasing extraordinary skill, tactical depth, and mental resilience.Sun came out of the gates firing, dominating the opening two games with clinical precision. But Wang responded brilliantly, adjusting her tactics to play more aggressively, especially by stepping around for her powerful pivot forehand. The change paid off as she took the next two games in convincing fashion to level the match at 2-2.The fifth game proved to be a turning point. Wang earned a game point at 10-9, but Sun responded with three straight points under pressure to seize the game 12-10 and regain the lead.In the sixth, Sun looked poised to close out the match with a 10-6 advantage, only for Wang to mount a remarkable comeback. Displaying immense grit, Wang saved four match points—helped in part by a fortunate edge ball at 9-10—before taking the game 13-11 to force a decider.Sun appeared out of rhythm in the early stages of the final game and trailed 5-7. However, showing the poise and champion’s mentality that has defined her rise to the top, she flipped the momentum with a stunning six-point run—her longest streak of the match—to take the game 11-7 and seal a dramatic victory.Japan’s Shunsuke Togami and Hiroto Shinozuka clinched the men’s doubles title at the World Table Tennis Championships after a thrilling five-game battle against Chinese Taipei’s Kao Cheng-Jui and Lin Yun-Ju. The Japanese duo triumphed 3-2, with game scores of 6-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6.The Japanese pair showcased a clear tactical understanding throughout the match, with left-handed Shinozuka playing a stabilizing role, minimizing risks and controlling the tempo, while Togami took on the enforcer’s mantle—his explosive forehand proving to be a decisive weapon. Both players served with precision, particularly against Lin Yun-Ju, one of the game’s premier receivers renowned for his backhand banana flick. Their tactical serving and well-placed spins effectively neutralized his signature returns.China’s Wang Manyu and Kuai Man capped off the 2025 World Table Tennis Championships with a commanding performance, defeating Austria’s Sofia Polcanova and Romania’s Bernadette Szőcs 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-5) to win the women’s doubles crown.The final proved to be a one-sided affair, as the Chinese duo showcased their class and composure, dismantling the European pair with ruthless efficiency. Wang and Kuai, who entered the match as clear favourites, delivered a performance that fully justified their billing, controlling the proceedings from start to finish with seamless coordination and clinical shot-making.