Qatar Beach Volleyball Team Claims Silver at West Asia Championship

BEIRUT- Qatar’s men’s beach volleyball team, represented by Mohammed Ehab and Mousa Al Khair, claimed the silver medal after finishing runners-up in the second and final round of the 2026 West Asia Beach Volleyball Championship in Batroun, Lebanon.The Qatari duo began their campaign with a convincing 2–0 quarterfinal victory over Kuwait, before overcoming Lebanon 2–0 in the semifinals to book their place in the gold-medal match. They narrowly missed out on the title, falling 2–1 to Lebanon’s Jad Abi Karam and Hadi Shbeib, who secured the gold medal.The silver-medal finish adds to Qatar’s growing record of success in beach volleyball at both the regional and continental levels.

Team Qatar U-18 Turn Focus to China after Iran Defeat

DOHA - Qatar’s U-18 national basketball team has put behind its 94–69 defeat to Iran on Friday morning, August 14, 2026, and shifted focus to its upcoming clash against China at 8:00 a.m. Doha time on Sunday, August 16, 2026. The match, part of Group C in the ongoing FIBA U-18 Asian Championship in Ahmedabad, India, carries significant weight in the race for knockout-stage qualification.The Maroons enter the China encounter seeking redemption after Iran dominated the opening two quarters. Qatar responded strongly in the third period, delivering its best performance of the game  a positive takeaway for the coaching staff ahead of the next challenge. Iran had established early control, leading 19–9 after the first quarter and extending the advantage to 30–17 in the second, closing the half with a 23-point margin. Qatar rallied in the third, outscoring Iran 26–21 with improved offensive execution and composure, before Iran sealed the fourth quarter 24–17 to secure victory.Individually, Qatar captain Abdullah Yassin Mousa shone as the game’s top scorer with 26 points, spearheading his team’s offense. For Iran, Mohammad Shamsi Anbouhi led with 19 points.Elsewhere in Group C, China opened its campaign emphatically with a 103–55 win over Sri Lanka, collecting two points to top the standings alongside Iran. Qatar sits third with one point, level with Sri Lanka in fourth.The China matchup is pivotal for Qatar, given the strength of the opponent and the impact of the result on group standings. The team must show greater balance from the outset while maintaining the fighting spirit displayed in the third quarter against Iran.Group C features China, Iran, Qatar, and Sri Lanka. Group A includes Australia, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, and Thailand; Group B comprises New Zealand, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Syria; while Group D brings together South Korea, Japan, India, and Kazakhstan. Qatar will conclude its group-stage fixtures against Sri Lanka on August 18, a contest likely to be decisive for its final position before the knockout rounds.The tournament hosts 16 teams divided into four groups of four. Group-stage matches run from August 13 to 18 in a single round-robin format. Group winners advance directly to the quarterfinals, while second- and third-placed teams contest playoff qualifiers on August 20. Quarterfinals follow on August 21, semifinals on August 22, and the final on August 23. Classification games for fifth to eighth place will also be held. This format makes topping the group highly valuable, offering direct passage to the quarterfinals and avoiding an extra playoff match — a target Qatar must pursue in its remaining fixtures.Qatar’s squad features 12 players: Abdullah Yassin, Tamim Ashraf Abu Issa, Ziad Al-Bitar, Moaz Omar Mousa, Azzam Mohammed Yaken, Ziad Tamer Al-Johari, Mohammed Saeed Badri, Mahmoud Tamer Ibrahim, Amer Ibrahim Mousa, Owen Ikina, Youssef Walid Abdelqader, and Shahi Mohammed. The team is led by Algerian head coach Mounir Ben Ghalla, assisted by Hashem Zaidan, with Kenan overseeing fitness and Seif Al-Din Al-Hamandi supervising medical and rehabilitation duties.The delegation is headed by Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary-General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams. Qatar qualified for the Asian Championship after finishing second in the Gulf U-18 qualifiers held in Doha, securing its third consecutive continental finals appearance. Beyond the immediate competition, the U-18 Asian Championship serves as a gateway to the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup 2027 in Pardubice, Czech Republic (June 26 – July 4, 2027). The four semifinalists will earn tickets to the global stage, raising ambitions across all participating teams and making a top-four finish an additional goal for Qatar.

Qatar Sports Ministry and QOC Highlight Sport’s Role in Youth Mental Health

DOHA -  The Ministry of Sports and Youth, in collaboration with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), organized a youth session titled “The Impact of Sport on Youth Mental Health” as part of the celebrations marking International Youth Day, observed annually on 12 August. This year’s theme is “Different Lives, Shared Dreams.”The session brought together a group of sports-minded young people from diverse backgrounds and with a range of interests. Discussions explored how physical activity can help reduce psychological stress, strengthen self-confidence, develop mental resilience, and foster positive social relationships through an interactive dialogue combining scientific perspectives with real-life experiences.Mr. Fawaz Al Musaifri, Director of the Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, said this year’s International Youth Day theme, “Different Lives, Shared Dreams,” reflects the reality of young people around the world. Despite differences in environments, challenges and opportunities, he noted, young people share common aspirations to build a better future and enjoy balanced physical and mental well-being. He highlighted sport as one of the important means of bringing young people together and supporting these shared aspirations.He added that the Ministry has been keen to launch innovative events and initiatives that address young people’s needs and enhance their quality of life. The organization of the session, he explained, stemmed from the Ministry’s belief that mental health is a fundamental pillar of youth empowerment and that sport has become an effective means of promoting psychological well-being and building positive character.Al Musaifri also noted that the partnership with the Qatar Olympic Committee helped provide a dialogue platform that brought together scientific expertise and inspiring experiences, contributing to greater awareness among young people of the importance of making sport a way of life.For her part, Ms. Amina Al Meer, Head of the Local Cooperation Unit at the Qatar Olympic Committee, affirmed that the cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth stems from a shared vision that recognizes sport as a tool for community development and enhancing quality of life. She noted that the International Youth Day theme reflects the reality that differences in circumstances do not limit young people’s ambitions, but rather call for unified efforts to empower them and provide a supportive environment that enables them to achieve their aspirations, particularly in promoting mental health through sport.She highlighted the Qatar Olympic Committee’s commitment to expanding cooperation with various national institutions to implement impactful initiatives that promote sports culture and encourage youth participation across different fields, in line with the State of Qatar’s vision of investing in people.The strategic partnership between the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Qatar Olympic Committee aims to unite efforts in implementing programs and initiatives that serve young people, raise awareness of mental health, and encourage healthy lifestyles. It also seeks to respond to young people’s aspirations and contribute to building a healthier and more cohesive society.

Team Qatar to compete in 2026 AVC Men's Volleyball Continental Championship

DOHA – Qatar’s national volleyball team is set to compete in the 2026 AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship, scheduled to take place in Fukuoka, Japan, from September 4 to 13, with 12 national teams competing for continental honours. The tournament holds particular significance as it serves as a pathway to the World Championship.Qatar has been drawn in Group C alongside Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand. The competition will provide an important test for the national team as it looks to build on its success at the Gulf and West Asian levels and measure itself against the challenges of the continental stage.Group A features hosts Japan, Australia, Bahrain, and Oman, while Group B comprises Iran, China, India, and New Zealand.The top two teams from each group, along with the best third-placed team, will advance to the quarter-finals, completing the eight-team knockout lineup. The competition will then move into the knockout stages, with the remaining teams battling to determine the final standings.Qatar enters the championship on the back of an impressive regional campaign, having secured the silver medal at the second edition of the West Asian Volleyball Championship in Oman. The team topped its group with a perfect record before reaching the final, where it was defeated by the hosts to finish runners-up.The West Asian silver medal was not Qatar’s only podium finish in 2026. Earlier this year, the national team also claimed silver in the volleyball competition at the fourth Gulf Games “Doha 2026,” hosted by Doha in May. 

Team Qatar U18 Basketball Team Steps Up Preparations for Asian Championship

AHMEDABAD - Qatar’s U18 basketball team has stepped up its preparations in the Indian city of Ahmedabad ahead of the Asian U18 Basketball Championship, which gets underway on Thursday and runs through August 23, bringing together several of the continent’s leading youth national teams.Following their arrival in Ahmedabad, the Qatar squad entered an intensive training camp under Algerian head coach Monir Ben Ghalla. The camp is focused on sharpening the players’ technical and physical readiness, fine-tuning the team’s tactical approach, and finalizing the lineup for the opening match.Qatar will launch its campaign against Iran on Friday in Group C, before taking on China on Sunday and Sri Lanka on Tuesday in the group stage.The 12-player squad comprises Abdullah Yassin, Tamim Ashraf Abu Issa, Ziad Al Bitar, Muath Omar Musa, Azzam Mohammed Yakan, Ziad Tamer Al Johari, Mohammed Saeed Badri, Mahmoud Tamer Ibrahim, Amer Ibrahim Musa, Owen Ekena, Yousef Waleed Abdulqader, and Shahi Mohammed.The championship carries added significance for Qatar, as it also serves as a qualification pathway to the 2027 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in the Czech Republic. The top four teams at the Asian Championship will secure their places at the global tournament.Qatar completed the final phase of its preparations in Doha through an intensive training programme at Al Gharafa Sports Hall, where the coaching staff worked extensively to enhance the players’ technical abilities, physical conditioning, tactical understanding, and overall match readiness.With the Asian championship offering both a major continental challenge and a coveted ticket to the 2027 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, Qatar will look to translate its intensive preparations into strong performances throughout the competition. 

100 days to go until FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026

DOHA - With just 100 days to go until the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026, excitement is building for the prestigious youth tournament taking place in Qatar from 19 November to 13 December 2026.This year marks the second of five consecutive editions that Qatar will host annually through 2029, reaffirming its commitment to delivering world-class sporting events while strengthening the country’s long-term football legacy.Building on the success of the landmark 2025 tournament, which saw Qatar host the first-ever FIFA competition featuring 48 teams, this year’s edition will once again welcome 48 nations competing across 104 matches. Fans can look forward to up to eight matches per day during an action-packed group stage.The FIFA U-17 World Cup has long served as a launching pad for many of football’s biggest stars, most notably, Egyptian forward and FC Barcelona player Hamza Abdelkarim, who made his debut at the FIFA World Cup 2026 following a breakout performance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025.The tournament will once again provide the world’s most promising young players with the opportunity to showcase their talent on football’s biggest stage.The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 will be held at the Aspire Zone Competition Complex, with the final taking place at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium, where Portugal lifted the trophy last year in front of a crowd of 38,901 spectators.With all matches being held in a centralized venue, fans will be treated to an exciting festival-like atmosphere under the theme of TMRW’s GOAT, celebrating young stars as well as exploring a number of cultural and entertainment activities taking place at the Fan Zone.This year’s tournament coincides with a significant milestone for Khalifa International Stadium, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its inauguration in 1976. One of Qatar’s most iconic sporting venues, the stadium has previously hosted a number of major sporting events, including matches during the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Tickets will be made available at www.roadtoqatar.qa at a later date.