Qatar Edge Yemen 1-0 to Reach Gulf Cup Semi-Finals

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia :Qatar secured a place in the semi-finals of the 27th Gulf Cup after beating Yemen 1-0 on Sunday to make it two wins from two matches in Group B.Youssef Abdul-Razzaq scored the only goal after substitute Sultan Al-Buraik delivered a cross that substitute Edmilson turned towards Abdul-Razzaq, who finished the move to put Qatar ahead.The first half ended goalless after Qatar midfielder Issa Lai was forced off with an injury in the ninth minute. Jassim Jaber replaced him.Yemen continued to provide a challenge after the break, but Qatar eventually found the breakthrough through the substitutes’ combination and Abdul-Razzaq’s finish.Qatar were also awarded a penalty in the second half, but Akram Afif failed to convert from the spot.The victory moved Qatar to six points and guaranteed their qualification for the semi-finals from a Group B that also includes the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.Qatar had opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Bahrain, while Yemen suffered their second defeat after losing to the UAE in their opening match.Qatar’s two consecutive victories ensure they will advance from Group B, while Yemen must now look to their remaining match as they seek to end their Gulf Cup campaign with a positive result.

Team Qatar Set to Face South Korea in Asian Games Handball Semi-Final

Aichi-Nagoya - Qatar’s national handball team face South Korea today in the semi-finals of the 20th Asian Games – Aichi-Nagoya 2026, looking to continue their successful campaign, secure a place in the final and move one step closer to retaining their Asian Games title. Team Qatar head into the match in high spirits following a string of positive results since the start of the competition. They topped Group A with a perfect six points after three consecutive victories, opening their campaign with a 40–17 win over Hong Kong before defeating China 30–25 and concluding the group stage with a 37–28 victory over Japan. Qatar continued their impressive run in the knockout stage with a 31–25 quarter-final victory over Iran. In a hard-fought encounter, Team Qatar overturned a 14–13 half-time deficit and took control in the second half to secure a six-goal victory and book their place in the semi-finals.Team Qatar will be looking to maintain their strong form against South Korea, who secured their semi-final place after overcoming China in the quarter-finals, with a highly competitive encounter expected as both teams battle for a place in the final. The other semi-final will see hosts Japan face Bahrain.Japan advanced after defeating Kuwait 37–32 in the quarter-finals, while Bahrain booked their place in the last four with a 37–16 victory over Hong Kong. The winners of the two semi-finals will meet in Tuesday’s final. Qatar have high ambitions at this edition of the Asian Games as they seek to retain the gold medal they won at the previous three editions ,  Incheon 2014, Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022. 

Olympic Council of Asia and Croatian Olympic Committee Sign MOU to Strengthen Sports Cooperation

His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the OCA and the Croatian Olympic Committee, represented by its President, Dr Josip Varvodic, to strengthen their partnership and develop cooperation across various areas of sport.The MOU provides for the exchange of expertise and knowledge, the organisation of training and development programmes, and capacity-building in the design, preparation and maintenance of sports facilities. It also includes support for the establishment of a Croatian high-performance training centre.The MOU reflects the OCA’s commitment to expanding sports cooperation and the exchange of expertise with National Olympic Committees around the world.

Team Qatar advance to Handball Semi-Finals with Victory over Iran

Aichi-Nagoya - Qatar’s national handball team qualified for the semi-finals of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games after defeating Iran 31–25 in yesterday’s quarter-final.Team Qatar will face South Korea in the semi-finals after the Koreans advanced at the expense of China. The match was attended by H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, and Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, Director of the Sports Sector at the Qatar Olympic Committee.The encounter against Iran was far from easy for Qatar, particularly in the first half, which ended with Iran leading 14–13. Team Qatar, however, overturned the deficit in the second half to secure victory.The opening stages were evenly contested before Iran established the first two-goal advantage in the 13th minute, taking a 6–4 lead after Qatar missed several attacking opportunities. Team Qatar regained their composure and reduced the deficit to one at 7–6, but Iran responded by extending their advantage to 9–6.

Al Darwish: Aichi-Nagoya Experience Supports Qatar’s Preparations for Doha 2030

Aichi-Nagoya - Ahmed Youssef Al Darwish, Head of the Administrative Delegation of Team Qatar at the 20th Asian Games – Aichi-Nagoya 2026, stressed that the administrative delegation continues its efforts to provide all necessary requirements for Qatar’s national teams and athletes and facilitate their participation in the various competitions, in continuous coordination with the administrative and technical teams and the Games Organizing Committee.Al Darwish said: “The work of the administrative delegation began well before our arrival in Japan, through planning and coordination with the sports federations and various relevant entities. Since the delegation arrived in Nagoya, our work has continued with the follow-up of all organizational and logistical aspects, providing the best possible conditions for our athletes and addressing the teams’ day-to-day requirements, allowing them to focus fully on their competitions.”He added: “The administrative delegation is committed to coordinating between the different teams within the delegation and the sports federations, whether in relation to transportation, accommodation, training, competitions or other aspects associated with our participation. We aim to respond quickly and effectively to any requirements that may arise, ensuring the appropriate environment for Team Qatar athletes throughout the Games.”Al Darwish also highlighted the importance of the current experience as Doha prepares to host the next edition of the Asian Games in 2030. He said: “Our presence at Aichi-Nagoya is not limited to sporting participation. It also represents an important opportunity to closely observe the various organizational and operational processes involved in an event of this scale and identify experiences and practices that can benefit us on the road to Doha 2030.”

Team Qatar Open Group C Volleyball Campaign Against Hong Kong

Aichi-Nagoya - Qatar’s men’s national volleyball team begin their Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games campaign with an important match against Hong Kong in their opening Group C encounter.Team Qatar are drawn in Group C alongside India, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Group A features Japan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, while Group B comprises Iran, Indonesia, Thailand and Kyrgyzstan. Group D includes the Republic of Korea, China, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines.Qatar begin their campaign against Hong Kong before facing Vietnam tomorrow and India the following day.The competition will be staged at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park and Park Arena Komaki in Aichi Prefecture. Team Qatar will look to build on their preparations and test themselves against strong continental opposition.Qatar are fully aware of the importance of their opening match, with a winning start potentially having a significant impact on the group standings. The three matches will provide successive tests of the team’s capabilities and ambitions in the competition.Team Qatar held their first training session yesterday in a positive atmosphere, with the players showing plenty of enthusiasm. The technical staff focused on putting the finishing touches to their game plan for Hong Kong while finalising the line-up and player selection.Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Volleyball Association, met with the players and the technical and administrative staff, stressing the importance of the upcoming stage and the need to give their utmost to represent Qatari volleyball in the best possible manner at the Asian Games.For his part, Saeed Juma Al Hitmi, Board Member of the Qatar Volleyball Association, said Team Qatar had reached a good level of readiness and that the players were in strong physical condition and high spirits ahead of their opening match.He added that the team had prepared well over the previous period, completing a training camp and playing two friendly matches in Japan, which helped improve cohesion and readiness. He also noted that the technical staff had studied Hong Kong and analysed their strengths and weaknesses in preparation for the match.Qatar’s 12-player squad comprises Mahdi Samoud, Abdulrahman Bakri, Mubarak Mousa, Abdulla Samir, Pape Maguette, Ahmed Abdulwahab, Renan Ribeiro, Youssef Al Yafei, Mohammed Al Waleed, Naji Mahmoud, Mubarak Al Kuwari and Ahmed Jamal.