Team Qatar to take on Singapore in AFC U-20 Asian Cup 2025 qualifying opener

DOHA - Qatar’s Under-20 coach Spaniard Felix Angel said the team is looking ahead to the Qualifiers for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup China 2025 with great enthusiasm and that the team is fully prepared aiming to make it to the continental finals. Speaking on eve of Qatar’s opening match against Singapore in Group J, to be played on Wednesday at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium at 8pm, Angel further said, “We are excited to enter this tournament with high spirits. This competition presents a big challenge for us and the first match is a tough one. “We are playing on home turf but all teams have equal chances. Our focus in on our opening match which is a difficult one.” Qatar, who emerged triumphant in 2014, have qualified for each of the past five editions of the tournament. Singapore’s head coach Fadzuhasny Juraimi, said, “We are well prepared and we will face strong competition with the rest of the group’s teams.” The visitors have 19 appearances, three more than the home side, although the latest occasion being in 1978. Doha is playing host to the matches of Group J of the Qualifiers (from Sept 25 to 29) in which Qatar are joined by Singapore, Jordan and Hong Kong. All matches will be held at the same time (8 pm) at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. On Wednesday, Jordan will meet Hong Kong. The simultaneous kick-off at the Grand Hamad Stadium has Jordan aiming for a third consecutive qualification and ninth overall, battling Hong Kong, China, whose last appearance – their 16th – came in 1977. Qatar will meet Hong Kong in the second match while Jordan will play Singapore on the 27th.The group qualifiers will conclude with Qatar meeting Jordan, and Singapore playing Hong Kong. It is worth noting that the competition journey to qualify for the 2025 AFC U- 20 Asian Cup in China has the participation of 45 teams for the 42nd edition of the tournament. The Qualifiers will continue until September 29 with the matches of the 10 groups (five of four teams and five of five teams) being held in a league system. The 10 teams that finish first in each group qualify for the finals along with the five best second – placed teams to be joined by host China, the 1985 champions. China will be hosting the tournament for the second time since 2010.  The qualifying stage was first introduced for the 1980 edition of the tournament, and this edition includes 14 of the 16 teams that have won the title to date. On the other hand, nine teams are hoping to qualify for the first time: Bhutan, Guam, Macau, Maldives, Mongolia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palestine, East Timor and Turkmenistan.  

Qatar Wins Three Colored Medals in Asian Cup for Shooting Clay in Kazakhstan

ALMATY - The Qatari shooting team won three colored medals (one silver and two bronze) during its participation in the Asian Cup for Shooting Clay, which is currently being held in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan, and will continue until September 30, with a large participation of shooters from various Asian countries. The Qatari team is participating in the tournament with a delegation that includes a significant number of shooters headed by Ahmed Mubarak Al-Kuwari, President of the Shotgun Team. The Qatari team's medals came in the trap competition. In the men's team category, the Qatari team, consisting of the trio Mohammed Al Rumaihi, Rashid Hamad Al Athba and Nasser Al-Humaidi, managed to win the bronze medal after obtaining third place in the competition, while the Kuwaiti team won the gold medal, and the Kazakh team won the silver medal. In the women's trap team category, Qatari shooters Kholoud Al-Khalaf, Amna Al-Abdullah, and Maitha Al-Binali won the silver medal, while the Kuwaiti team won the gold medal, and the Kazakhstan team won the bronze medal. In the mixed team category, the Qatari duo Rashid Hamad Al-Athba and Kholoud Hassan Al-Khalaf won the bronze medal, while China won the gold medal, and the Kuwaiti team won the silver medal. The Qatari team shooters are looking forward to winning more medals in the skeet competition.   

Team Qatar to participate in 2024 Arab Golf Championship

Tunisia: Qatar's national golf team will participate in the 2024 edition of Arab Junior Golf Championship to begin in Gammarth, Tunisia on Sunday.  121 golfers representing 11 Arab countries will take part in the championship, including Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, UAE, Iraq and Hosts Tunisia.  The state of Qatar is represented by Rashid Al Mansouri, Kamil bin Ruqiya, Daniel Sokolov and Nada Radwan.   

Team Qatar line up for AFC U20 Qualifiers

Doha: The Qatar Football Association has announced Team Qatar squad to participate in the qualifiers of the AFC U20 Asian Cup™ China 2025.  To run until September 29, the 10 groups - five of four teams each and five of five – will be contested in a centralised league format. All group winners, along with the five best-placed runners-up, will progress to the final tournament and be joined by 1985 champions China PR, who are hosting for a second time after their first in 2010.   Group J hosts Qatar, who emerged triumphant in 2014 and have qualified for each of the past five editions, take on Singapore at 8pm at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha. The visitors have 19 appearances, three more than the home side, although the most recent occasion was in 1978. The simultaneous kick-off at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha has Jordan, aiming for a third consecutive qualification and ninth overall, battling Hong Kong, China, whose last appearance – their 16th – came in 1977. Team Qatar Squad:  Abu Baker Mohamed, Jalal Almir, Mohamed Fawzi, Ibrahim Al Hassan, Awad Fudhail, Jassim Al Hamad, Bassam Adel, Muaz Ibrahim, Nawaf Al Yahri, Younis Mohamed, Yousef Mohammed, Abdullah Mujeeb, Khalid, Muataman Mohammed, Jameel Radi, Tahseen Mohammed, Salim Reda, Abdulaziz Al Bakri, Mohammed Hani, Yousef Marei, Ali Mohammed, Fayez Morwan and Ayoub Al Alawi.     

Qatar slip to 44th place in new FIFA rankings

DOHA: Two-time Asian champions Qatar endured the biggest slump in latest FIFA rankings dropping 10 places to 44th in the standings announced by the governing body on Thursday. The huge fall is a result of Marquez Lopez-coached side’s sluggish start to their FIFA 2026 World Cup Asian Qualifiers Round 3 where they lost to lower-ranked United Arab Emirates and were held by North Korea in their opening matches earlier this month. Qatar are now ranked fifth best among the Arab nations led by World Cup semi-finalists Morocco (ranked 14th), who are followed by Egypt, (31st, 5 up), Tunisia 36th, 5 up) and Algeria (41st, 5 up).     Qatar will meet Kyrgyzstan and Tehran in their next World Cup qualifying games next month.  Meanwhile, Argentina and France respectively retained their top two positions in the rankings. World champions Argentina remain atop of the standing with 1889.02 points, and France 1851.92 points. Spain are in third place with 1836.42 points, followed by England (4th), Brazil (5th), and Belgium (6th). The top ten teams remains unchanged as the Netherlands, Portugal, Colombia and Italy occupy the next four spots. A total of 184 international matches were played in September as FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, continental competitions and friendlies were contested everywhere around the world. Japan, meanwhile, consolidated their spot as top-ranked Asian side, moving two positions up to 16th followed by Iran (19th) and South Korea (23rd).  

Contenders ready for battle in AFC U20 Qualifiers

Kuala Lumpur: The quest to reach the AFC U20 Asian Cup™ China 2025 kicks off for 45 teams on September 21 with the Qualifiers for the 42nd edition of the tournament. To run until September 29, the 10 groups - five of four teams each and five of five – will be contested in a centralised league format. All group winners, along with the five best-placed runners-up, will progress to the final tournament and be joined by 1985 champions China PR, who are hosting for a second time after their first in 2010. Group J hosts Qatar, who emerged triumphant in 2014 and have qualified for each of the past five editions, take on Singapore at 8pm at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha. The visitors have 19 appearances, three more than the home side, although the most recent occasion was in 1978. The simultaneous kick-off at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha has Jordan, aiming for a third consecutive qualification and ninth overall, battling Hong Kong, China, whose last appearance – their 16th – came in 1977. A qualifying stage was first implemented for the 1980 tournament and this upcoming 22nd instance will feature 14 of the 16 teams to have won the title to date. At the opposite end, nine sides are hoping to qualify for the first time: Bhutan, Guam, Macau, Maldives, Mongolia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palestine, Timor-Leste, and Turkmenistan. Group B will get the opening matchday underway on Saturday at 3pm when Nepal face Cambodia at the Fu Jen University in New Taipei. The last of Nepal’s four previous Finals appearances came in 2004, while Cambodia’s absence since their third in 1974 is the longest of any team in these Qualifiers. At 7pm, hosts Chinese Taipei begin their quest for an 11th qualification and first since 2018; a third-place finish in 1966 is their best ever result. The visitors are 1986 runners-up Bahrain, hunting a 10th participation and first since 2016. Uzbekistan claimed their first crown in the last edition in 2023 and their mission to defend it starts with a clash against Cambodia on September 23 at 3pm, as they eye a ninth qualification. Guam and Bhutan, participating in their 10th and eighth Qualifiers respectively, meet in their Group A opener at 4pm at the Lach Tray Stadium in Hai Phong; the former will aim to notch their first ever qualifying win. Targeting a return after their sixth involvement in 2002, Bangladesh – fifth in 1980 – go up against 1994 winners Syria at 7pm, with the latter seeking a 12th qualification. Home side Vietnam, who placed fourth in 1961, swing into action two days later at 7pm on September 23 against Bhutan as they vie for a seventh consecutive and 21st overall participation. The Republican Central Stadium in Dushanbe is the backdrop for Group E, which opens with three-time runners-up Malaysia taking on Oman at 5pm. The Southeast Asians’ last qualification in 2018 was their 23rd, while their opponents are hunting back-to-back appearances for the first time and a third overall. The 8pm fixture has three-time winners DPR Korea (1976, 2006, 2010), who also last took part in 2018 and are aiming for a 14th qualification, squaring off with Sri Lanka, whose last of 10 involvements came in 1986. On September 23, hosts Tajikistan take to the pitch to face Sri Lanka at 8pm, with their sights set on a fourth straight qualification and sixth overall. Taking part in their 17th qualifying campaign, Macau have been pitted against Afghanistan in Group D’s opening match at 4pm at the Prince Sultan Sports City Stadium in Abha. The latter are aiming to qualify for a fourth time, with their last appearance in 1978. In the Qualifiers for a 10th time, Palestine’s first test comes against home side Saudi Arabia at 8pm, with the latter – champions in 1986, 1992 and 2018 – focused on a fourth straight qualification and 16th overall. Australia will aim to maintain their record of qualifying for every edition since joining the AFC in 2006.The 2010 runners-up begin their bid for a ninth appearance against Afghanistan at 4pm on September 23. The United Arab Emirates, whose sole triumph came in 2008 and last involvement was in 2018, are looking for a 15th appearance, with Lebanon their first opponents in Group C. The latter have not qualified since 2008 and are aiming to do so for only the third time; kick-off is at 5.30pm at the Abdullah Al Khalifa Stadium in Mishref. Hosts Kuwait are next up at 8.30pm and their journey for a first qualification since 2012 and ninth overall start against the Northern Mariana Islands, who are hunting for their first ever point in their third Qualifiers. The fifth side in the group, Korea Republic, hold the record for most titles (12) and qualifications (39); another successful Qualifiers campaign will make it 19 consecutive Finals and they will register 15 qualifying wins in a row if they defeat Kuwait at 8.30pm on September 23. The remaining five groups commence on September 25, which features Group F first as Yemen, targeting a seventh qualification and first since 2016, face a Timor-Leste side, in their third Qualifiers, at 3pm. Champions in 1961, hosts Indonesia have 19 prior appearances and could make it three in a row; the Maldives, contesting their 17th Qualifiers, stand in their way first at 7.30pm. Finalists at the previous edition in 2023, Iraq have five titles to their name and will fancy their chances of qualifying for a 10th consecutive time and 19th overall. They open Group H at 3.30pm at the Buriram City Stadium against Brunei Darussalam, who have qualified four times previously, with the last occasion coming in 1975. At 7.30pm, home side Thailand are in action as the two-time winners (1962, 1969) attempt to qualify for the 34th instance, with the Philippines – looking for a 15th qualification and first since 1975 – as their opposition. Vientiane’s Lao National Stadium KM16 provides the backdrop for Group G as Mongolia, in their fifth Qualifiers, take on 1974 champions India, targeting a 23rd appearance and first since 2006, at 4pm. The Islamic Republic of Iran, four-time winners and eyeing a 21st qualification, then challenge hosts Laos, whose fourth and most recent appearance came in 2004, at 7pm. Turkmenistan face a tough opening hurdle in their 13th Qualifiers against Group I heavyweights Japan, who lifted the trophy in 2016 and finished runners-up on six occasions. The East Asians have 38 previous qualifications – second-most of any team – and their last qualifying defeat came in 2011, with their last conceded goal in 2013; victory in the 3pm clash at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek will put them on track for an 18th straight appearance. Hosts Kyrgyz Republic, who can achieve back-to-back qualifications for the first time and third overall, welcome Myanmar at 8pm, with the away side – whose seven titles are second only to Korea Republic – trying to qualify for a 20th instance and first since 2014.