Salah Younis Wins Stratford 100m with New Personal Best

LONDON – Qatar’s rising sprint star Salah Younis delivered a standout performance at the Stratford Speed athletics meeting in Britain yesterday, winning the men’s 100m and setting a new personal best.The 21-year-old crossed the finish line in 10.13 seconds, improving on his previous best of 10.23 seconds and establishing a new season-best mark.Younis had recorded his previous 10.23-second mark at the Asian U23 Athletics Championships in Ordos, China, last July.The victory and new personal best mark an important milestone in the young sprinter’s progression and provide further momentum ahead of a major challenge on the horizon, with Younis set to compete at the Asian Games in Japan next month.In addition to the 100m, Younis is also competing in the 200m, an event in which he continues to make steady progress under the Qatar Athletics Federation’s program designed to prepare its sprinters for their forthcoming major competitions. 

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. 

Qatar Hosts 3-Nation Basketball Friendly at Al Janoub Stadium

DOHA - The Qatar Basketball Federation announces the organization of the international friendly tournament “3 Nations Friendly Games” featuring the national teams of Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. The competition will take place from August 20 to 22, 2026, at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, marking another milestone in Qatar’s basketball preparations for upcoming commitments, including the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 qualifiers and the Asian Games “Aichi-Nagoya 2026.”The timing of the tournament is particularly significant for the Qatari national team, which is entering a busy phase of international and continental engagements. The three‑nation friendly games precede the fourth window of the Asian qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, followed shortly by preparations for the Asian Games in Japan this September.For the Qatari coaching staff, the tournament provides a valuable opportunity to play a series of closely scheduled matches, assess the players’ technical and physical readiness, enhance team cohesion, and experiment with tactical options before resuming official competitions.The “3 Nations Friendly Games” will unfold over three consecutive days, offering a competitive environment among three Gulf teams. Qatar opens its campaign against Bahrain on Thursday, August 20, at 7:00 PM at Al Janoub Stadium. Bahrain then faces Saudi Arabia on Friday, August 21, before Qatar concludes the tournament against Saudi Arabia on Saturday, August 22, also at 7:00 PM.The friendly event comes just days before Qatar begins its fourth‑window qualifiers, starting with a home match against China on August 27 in Doha, followed by an away fixture against Japan on August 30. These matches are expected to be technically demanding, as Qatar faces experienced Asian opponents.Qatar’s commitments continue in the subsequent qualification windows, hosting South Korea on November 26, 2026, and Japan on November 29 in Doha, before closing the second phase with away games against China on February 26, 2027, and South Korea on March 1, 2027.Parallel to the World Cup qualifiers, Qatar will also compete in the Asian Games “Aichi-Nagoya 2026,” scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Japan. The men’s 5×5 basketball draw placed Qatar in Group B alongside Iran, Jordan, and Chinese Taipei, forming a strong group that requires thorough preparation.The choice of Al Janoub Stadium as the venue carries special importance, as the facility has been converted and equipped from a football stadium into a basketball‑ready arena. The tournament will serve as a practical test of Al Janoub’s readiness to host basketball matches, including court setup, facilities, and operational aspects. This experience is crucial ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, which will be staged for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region from August 27 to September 12, 2027, across the venues of Lusail, Duhail, Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, and Al Janoub.

Team Qatar Set for Asian Games Basketball Challenge at Aichi–Nagoya 2026

DOHA – The Qatari national basketball team is preparing for a highly competitive campaign at the 20th Asian Games “Aichi–Nagoya 2026,” as the continent’s leading basketball nations gear up for one of the year’s major multi-sport events.The Asian Games will take place in Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026, bringing together athletes from across Asia in a wide-ranging program of sporting competition. Basketball is once again expected to be among the most closely followed team sports at the Games.Qatar’s participation in Nagoya comes as part of the national team’s continued pursuit of excellence on the continental stage. The tournament will provide another important opportunity for the team to test itself against some of Asia’s strongest basketball program and further strengthen its competitive experience.The national team enters the Games with a proud history in international basketball. Qatar made history by qualifying for the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time in 2006, when Japan hosted the global tournament.The landmark achievement represented a defining moment for Qatari basketball and demonstrated the national team’s ability to compete at the highest levels beyond the regional arena.Qatar has also enjoyed notable success at the continental level, securing bronze medals at the FIBA Asia Championship in 2003 and 2005. In 2004, the national team added another major achievement to its record by winning the Asian Challenge Cup.At the regional level, Qatar has established a strong and enduring presence through its participation in the Gulf Championship and the West Asia Championship, where the team has collected a number of titles and consistently competed among the region’s leading basketball nations.As the countdown to Aichi–Nagoya 2026 continues, Qatar will look to build on this legacy and deliver another strong performance on the Asian stage, carrying with it the experience of decades of international competition and a determination to compete with Asia’s best. 

Qatar U-18 Basketball Team Set to Depart for India on Tuesday

DOHA- The Qatar U-18 basketball team delegation will depart for Ahmedabad, India, on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in preparation for the FIBA U-18 Asian Championship 2026.The tournament draw placed Qatar in Group C alongside China, Iran, and Sri Lanka, setting up a challenging continental campaign scheduled in Ahmedabad from August 13 to 23, 2026.The group stage will see Qatar face Iran in its opening match on August 14, followed by China on August 16, before concluding against Sri Lanka on August 18.Qatar’s participation comes after securing qualification through the Gulf U-18 Championship hosted in Doha, where the team finished second with seven points and claimed the silver medal, earning a spot in the Asian finals behind Bahrain, who topped the standings with eight points.The Asian Championship features four groups: Group A includes Australia, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, and Thailand; Group B features New Zealand, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Syria; while Group D brings together Korea, Japan, India, and Kazakhstan. The competition promises high-level encounters among Asia’s brightest young talents.Group stage matches run from August 13 to 18, followed by a rest day on August 19. Knockout rounds begin August 20, with quarterfinals on August 21, semifinals and classification matches on August 22, and the final on August 23, preceded by the third-place playoff.Beyond the continental title, the championship serves as a qualifying pathway to the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup 2027 in the Czech Republic, with the top four teams earning direct qualification.The Qatar U-18 squad completed its domestic training camp at Al-Gharafa Sports Club, under the guidance of Turkish head coach Cengiz Karadağ. The delegation will be led by Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary-General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams. The administrative staff includes Team Manager Khalid Ahmed Al-Mughni, Omar Ahmed, and Ayoub Rahmatullah. The technical staff features Algerian coach Mounir Ben Ghalla, assistant coach Hashim Zaidan, fitness coach Kenan, and physiotherapist Saif Al-Din Al-Hamandi.The national team roster comprises: Abdullah Yassin, Tamim Ashraf Abu Issa, Ziad Al-Bitar, Moaz Omar Mousa, Azzam Mohamed Yaken, Ziad Tamer Al-Johari, Mohamed Saeed Badri, Mahmoud Tamer Ibrahim, Amer Ibrahim Mousa, Owen Ikina, Youssef Walid Abdelqader, and Shahi Mohamed.Qatar enters the Asian Championship with ambitions of delivering strong performances against elite continental teams, building on the experience gained in the Gulf qualifiers, and aiming to achieve positive results and a distinguished presence in one of Asia’s premier youth competitions. 

Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan Named Asia’s Best Men’s Beach Volleyball Players

Bangkok — Qatari beach volleyball standouts Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan have been recognized as Asia’s Best Men’s Beach Volleyball Players at the inaugural Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Gala 2026, held in Bangkok.The prestigious award acknowledges the duo’s remarkable run of performances in continental and international competitions, further cementing their standing among the continent’s elite beach volleyball stars.The accolade marks a new milestone in the development and success of Qatari beach volleyball, while underscoring the national team’s sustained excellence and growing impact on both the continental and international stages.