Qatar Football Festival 2026 set to take place this March

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Football Events has announced the Qatar Football Festival 2026, set to take place between 26-31 March. The Festival will include the men's Finalissima 2026 alongside a series of high-profile international matches with the participation of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Serbia. The matches offer participating nations valuable preparation to measure their readiness and assess their capabilities ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™.The six matches scheduled as part of the Qatar Football Festival include:Finalissima 2026:The match will be held at the iconic Lusail Stadium on 27 March, where European champions Spain will face South American champions Argentina in an anticipated meeting between continental title holders.International Matches: •    26 March: Egypt v Saudi Arabia – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium•    26 March: Qatar v Serbia – Jassim bin Hamad Stadium •    30 March: Egypt v Spain – Lusail Stadium•    30 March: Saudi Arabia v Serbia – Jassim bin Hamad Stadium •    31 March: Qatar v Argentina – Lusail StadiumTickets on sale next month●    Exclusive travel packages for international fans will be available starting from 1 February 2026, delivered in partnership with Visit Qatar, the official marketing and promotional arm of Qatar Tourism, and Qatar Airways.●    Match tickets will go on sale from 25 February 2026 at roadtoqatar.qa.H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, LOC Chairman for Football Events, said: "We look forward to welcoming players and fans from around the world as we prepare to host the world's biggest football stars ahead of the FIFA World Cup. We are honoured to open our doors once again to the global football community.”H.E. Sheikh Hamad added: “Hosting the Qatar Football Festival reflects our commitment to delivering world-class experiences and reaffirms Qatar's position as a trusted partner in global football.”Lusail Stadium holds a special place in world football history, having witnessed unforgettable moments during major tournaments and hosted remarkable achievements for national teams and players alike. The venue has seen teams and stars crowned with world and continental titles, from iconic moments at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ to Qatar's triumphant Asian Cup victory. The stadium continues to cement its position as one of football's most prestigious landmarks and a stage for creating new footballing memories. 

New Asian and world records set in junior trap events

Doha: The trap shooting competition continued on the eighth day of the Asian Shotgun Championship Doha 2026, currently taking place at the Lusail Shooting Complex. The championship runs until Wednesday and features 196 male and female shooters from 17 countries.Monday’s programme included the final qualifying rounds for junior men and junior women in the individual trap events, as well as the team category. The competitions concluded with the medal ceremonies.In the junior men’s individual event, contested over two qualifying rounds, the top eight shooters advanced to the final. Uzbekistan’s Okinjon Abdukodirov claimed the gold medal and set new Asian and world records after hitting 24 of 30 targets in the final. Lebanon’s Ghassan Baklini secured silver with 21 targets, while Kazakhstan’s Denis Krivenko took bronze with a score of 18.The junior women’s individual event, part of the Asian Grand Prix, featured eight shooters over two rounds of 50 targets. Kazakhstan’s Leila Shantikova won gold after scoring 25 targets in the final. Uzbekistan’s Yaroslava Ishtaeva earned silver with 19, while Kazakhstan’s Milana Babshikina claimed bronze with 16.In the junior team event, Kazakhstan topped the standings with a total of 320 targets to win gold. Lebanon followed closely with 318 for silver, while Uzbekistan secured bronze with 313.The winners were crowned by Ahmed Yahya Al Nuaimi, Assistant Secretary of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Association (QSAA) and Deputy Director of the Championship, along with Abdullah Ali Al Mutawa Al Hammadi, Head of the Championship’s Technical Committee.Competition resumes on Tuesday with five qualifying rounds in the men’s, women’s and team trap events, followed by the singles finals and medal ceremonies.Al Mutawa Al Hammadi praised the strong performance of Qatari shooters in the skeet events, where they collected six medals, including three gold and three silver. He expressed hope that the momentum would continue in the remaining trap competitions.Speaking to media, he said the championship is significant as it is the first to apply the new International Shooting Federation rules, which will be used at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. He noted that the updated format, allowing eight shooters into individual finals instead of six, contributed to several new Asian and world records being set.He also highlighted the achievements of Rashid Saleh and Reem Al Sharshani in the mixed team skeet event, and Mutaib Al Marri in the youth individual skeet, all of whom set new Asian and world records. He concluded by thanking the judging panel for their efforts and voiced confidence in further Qatari success in the days ahead. 

Yuling, Qihao claim WTT Star Contender Doha titles

Doha: Year 2026 couldn’t have opened any better for Zhu Yuling, who emerged as back-to-back champion at Lusail Sports Arena after beating Hitomi Sato to the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 title (5-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5).Picking up her first WTT Champions success in this very city just last week, Zhu is yet to taste defeat on WTT Series 2026, adding five more wins this week off the back of the five she picked up last week, making that 10 out of 10.That perfect record very nearly came undone at the semi-final hurdle on Sunday, with Zhu pulling off a Match Point save to deny Satsuki Odo, and the final would prove equally as challenging.Facing off against the unshakable defensive prowess of Hitomi Sato, the Japanese star hadn’t dropped a single game in the lead up to the final, and she looked to be well on her way to another outstanding victory, sweeping the opening two games of the title match.But Zhu eventually found the breakthrough she was looking for, hitting back in the third to get the ball rolling. The former World No.1 had cracked the code, and from that point on it was one-way traffic. Patiently waiting for her moment to strike, Zhu began to pick apart her opponent’s defensive stance, chalking up four games on the bounce to deny Sato at the last.The men’s singles honours ended up going Zhou Qihao’s way, who laid claim to his first WTT Star Contender title, and his first WTT Series success since WTT Contender Lagos 2023.His opponent in the final, Wen Ruibo, had impressed all week, signalling his intent with a stunning semi-final win over No.2 seed Hugo Calderano.Despite starting the final brightly, the 19-year-old would ultimately fall short. Zhou Qihao, a player who has been there and done it in finals before, lent on his experience to expertly navigate the occasion, staying grounded in the heat of battle to reach the finish line first (8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8).Earlier in the day, Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem finally got their hands on the WTT Series trophy that had eluded them for years, taking home the mixed doubles title in Doha.One of the sport’s longest running partnerships, combining forces for the first time well over a decade ago, Wong and Doo know everything there is to know about each other’s game, and their vast experience would prove pivotal in deciding Sunday’s title clash.Weathering an early storm, the Hong Kong, China duo found their mojo in game two and didn’t look back from there, punishing Park Ganghyeon and Kim Nayeong who failed to take advantage at 7-9 up in the third before kicking on to finish the job in four (9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5). 

Strong Start to Trap Shooting at Asian Shotgun Championship Doha 2026

DOHA — Trap shooting competitions got off to an exciting start today on the seventh day of the Asian Shotgun Championship Doha 2026, currently taking place at the Lusail Shooting Range Complex. The championship will continue until next Wednesday, with the participation of 196 male and female shooters representing 17 countries.Today’s competitions were intense and highly competitive, featuring qualification rounds in the Trap event for men’s, women’s, junior, youth, and team categories.In the men’s individual event, two qualification rounds were held, with shooters firing at 50 targets (25 in each round). Kazakhstan’s Mark Bukeivalov topped the standings with 49 hits, followed by Kuwait’s Talal Al-Rashidi in second place with the same score, while his compatriot Abdulrahman Al-Faihan finished third, also with 49.The women’s individual event also saw two qualification rounds over 50 targets. Qatari shooter Ray Bassil led the field with 48 hits, ahead of Kazakhstan’s Elenora Ibragimova in second place with 47, while China’s Zian Wang claimed third place with 46.In the junior men’s individual category, three qualification rounds were held, with shooters competing over 75 targets. Chinese Taipei’s Hao Jiun Shuang secured first place with 70 hits, followed by Kazakhstan’s Asylzhan Aisalbayev with 68, and his compatriot Anton Pleskiy in third with 66.In the youth women’s individual category (Asian Grand Prix), which featured eight shooters competing over three rounds, Kazakhstan dominated the top five positions. Laila Shantykova claimed first place with 63 hits, followed by her teammate Aiyolym Zabagiyeva with 62, while Milana Babshikina finished third with 59.In the men’s team event, the UAE topped the standings with 144 hits, ahead of Kuwait in second place with 143, and Kazakhstan in third with 140. Team Qatar finished fourth with 138.In the women’s team event, Kazakhstan claimed first place with 135 hits, followed by Chinese Taipei with 125, and Kuwait with 124. Team Qatar placed fourth with 120.In the junior team category, Kazakhstan led the qualification rounds with 192 hits, Lebanon finished second with 186, while Team Qatar secured third place with 185.The championship continues tomorrow, Monday, with the remaining qualification rounds for all individual and team categories. These will be followed by the junior men’s and youth women’s finals and the medal ceremonies for the top three finishers.Qatar’s shooters had earlier enjoyed a highly successful campaign in the Skeet event, winning six medals three gold and three silver. The gold medals came through Muteb Al-Marrri, who also set new Asian and world records in the junior men’s skeet, the men’s team event featuring Rashid Saleh Al-Athba, Mohammed Ahmed Al-Kuwari and Ali Ahmed Al-Ishaq, and the mixed team event won by Rashid Saleh Al-Athba and Reem Al-Sharshani.Qatar’s three silver medals were claimed in the junior team event by Muteb Al-Marrri, Jassim Mohammed Al-Yafei and Abdulrahman Ahmed Al-Harmi, in the women’s individual event by Reem Al-Sharshani, and in the women’s team event by Reem Al-Sharshani, Sara Mohammed and Hajar Mohammed.Qatar’s shooters now look to continue their positive momentum in the Trap event, aiming to add more medals and stand on the podium at this major continental championship. 

Key Details of the Doha Fencing Grand Prix 2026 Announced

DOHA - The organizing committee of the Doha 2026 Grand Prix Fencing Championship unveiled details of the new edition of the tournament to be held from January 23 to 25 at the Aspire Hall.Present at the launch press conference at Aspire Academy on Sunday were Abdullah Ali Al Ghanim, President of the Qatar Fencing Federation, Ali Salem Afifa, Deputy Director General of Aspire Academy, Khalid Suwaid, Tournament Director, Hamad Saad Al Jassim, Deputy Tournament Director, and members of the federation.Abdullah Ali Al Ghanim, President of the Qatar Fencing Federation, said that this is the 21st edition of the tournament, is considered as one of the largest Grand Prix tournaments organized by the International Fencing Federation.Hamad Saad Al Jassim, Deputy Director of the Championship, confirmed that this year’s edition will witness the participation of 433 male and female players, with 254 male players and 179 female players representing 53 countries, led by the top three ranked players in the world in the two categories, and Olympic champions, including Japanese Koki Kano, winner of the gold medal at Paris 2024 Olympics, winners of the Tokyo Olympics, and Belgian Nacer Lajola, winner of the title of the previous edition of the Grand Prix Fencing Championship in Doha.Regarding Arab participation, Al Jassem said the tournament will see participation of players from eight Arab countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia, and the UAE.He pointed out that Qatar will participate with 9 players, 5 men and 4 women, namely: Youssef Abdel-Tawab, Mohammed Abdel Ali, Mohammed Al Hazza, Abdulrahman Al Jadra, Ali Al Khalaf, Fatima Al Madid, Dhikrayat Al Abdullah, Wadha Al Abdullah, and Sheikha Ali. They have prepared for this event by participating in many external tournaments, whether continental or Arab, and also through internal and external preparatory camps.He also noted that the tournament will see the participation of 19 referees managing the competitions, including 3 referees from Qatar, namely Mohammed Al Tairi, Mohammed Basahel and Bashir Al Sharbaji.The deputy director of the tournament said that the organizing committee relies heavily on volunteers to make the tournament a success, and their number in the current edition has exceeded 150 volunteers, which is a very large number... praising their important role in the successful organization of the competitions.Al Jassim has invited the public to attend the tournament competitions at Aspire and enjoy watching the world and Olympic champions.Ali Salem Afifa, Deputy Director General of Aspire Academy, expressed his pride that the Grand Prix Fencing Championship (Doha 2026) will be held at the Aspire Academy Hall, describing the championship as one of the most successful championships in which a large number of the academy’s students participate and we look forward to them achieving positive results.He said: “We have been partners with the Qatar Fencing Federation since 2006 to hold this tournament in Aspire, and we will provide all support to the federation. There are agreements between us, and we wish them success.”Prizes totaling $22,000, with $11,000 will be distributed to the winners of the top three places in the men’s category and the same among the winners in the women’s category. The winner of first place in the men’s or women’s category receives $5,000, the runner-up receives $3,000, and the third place player receives $1,500. 

High-Level Action continues on Day Six of Asian Shotgun Championship Doha 2026

DOHA  – Competition remained intense on the sixth day of the Asian Shotgun Championship Doha 2026, currently being held at the Lusail Shooting Range Complex and running through next Wednesday. The continental event has brought together 196 male and female shooters from 17 countries, creating a highly competitive atmosphere.The sixth day featured official training sessions for the Trap discipline across all categories, including men’s and women’s individual events, junior boys and girls, as well as mixed team competitions.Shooters from all participating nations took part in the training, alongside a strong presence from the Qatari national team, as all athletes showed good form and high readiness ahead of the Trap qualification rounds, which begin on Sunday.The championship schedule continues on Monday with the finals of the junior men’s and junior women’s individual events, followed by the medal ceremonies. On Tuesday, the finals of the men’s and women’s individual events and the junior mixed team competition will be held, with medals awarded to the top finishers.The championship will conclude on Wednesday, 21 January, with the mixed team final (men and women), followed by the official medal presentation.The Skeet competitions concluded on Friday, with Team Qatar delivering an outstanding performance by winning six medals three gold and three silver. The gold medals were secured in the junior men’s individual event, the men’s team event, and the mixed team event, while the silver medals came in the junior team, women’s individual, and women’s team events.Following their impressive results in Skeet, Qatari shooters now set their sights on the Trap competitions, aiming to continue their strong run and add more medals at this prestigious Asian championship.