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24 horses have qualified for the final of different categories on the second day of the 23rd edition of the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship 2026 held at the Dubai World Trade Center, with the
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DUBAI: Dubai welcomed an exciting boxing event by Batl Boxing Promotions, featuring four WBA titles and three UBO titles.The bouts were supervised by Jose Mohan from the Middle East Professional Boxing Commission, ensuring a high
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Lionel Messi marked the opening of Inter Miami’s gleaming new stadium with a goal as the Major League Soccer champions battled to a 2-2 draw against Austin FC on Saturday.Inter Miami’s co-owner David Beckham was
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The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) held today its 39th General Assembly meeting for the year 2026. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, in the presence of H.E. Mohamed bin Yousef Al Mana, First Vice President of the QOC; H.E. Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the QOC; H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the QOC; along with presidents and representatives of the sports federations and committees affiliated with the QOC. During the meeting, H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani expressed his appreciation to the sports federations and committees, commending the achievements of Qatari national teams across various sports during 2025. He also urged them to intensify their efforts in the coming phase, particularly in light of key upcoming events, foremost among them the 20th Asian Games, scheduled to take place in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026. The General Assembly proceedings commenced with the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting (No. 38), held on 5 December 2024. This was followed by a presentation highlighting the QOC’s sporting achievements in 2025, as well as upcoming major events to be hosted by Qatar, including the 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026, the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027, the West Asian Youth Games 2027, and the FIVB Volleyball World Championship Qatar 2029. The meeting also reviewed upcoming multi-sport events, including the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China, in April 2026; the Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, in September 2026; the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, in November 2026; and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2026. During the meeting, the General Assembly also approved the admission of the Qatar Police Sports Federation and the Qatar Military Sports Association as members of the Qatar Olympic Committee. The Assembly also reviewed the QOC’s budget for the fiscal years 2025–2026 and approved the final accounts for the fiscal years 2024–2025.
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Kristen Vanderveen made it a memorable first in Doha for herself and her horses Sunday as she topped the CSI5* Grand Prix - Jump-Off - 1.60m concluding class of the Qatar Equestrian Federation Cup as the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026 came to a spectacular conclusion at Al Shaqab.Vanderveen displayed sizzling form as the American rider claimed wins in three top classes on the final day of the four-day event. Vanderveen topped a five-rider jump-off astride darkbay gelding Bull Run’s Jireh with a clear round in 44.07secs to finish ahead of Qatari Bassem Mohammed, who was second on chestnut gelding Wathnan Issem in 44.13secs. The third podium spot was claimed by Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly, who rode bay stallion Skorphults Baloutendro and finished in 43.52secs picking four faults.Vanderveen received €97,500 besides the trophy for her win. Bassem Mohammed won €65,000 and Alsharbatly €48,750.Vanderveen said she felt lucky today. “I got a bit lucky in the first round today. I am very happy with my results and to have finished as a champion in the concluding event. It is very special for me. “It was my first Tour here in Doha and I have been delighted to be here. It was an amazing opportunity for the horses to ride on the vast expanse. Outside the event, I also got a chance to the beautiful culture here. It has been quite special and I would surely love coming back here,” she said.Britain’s Scott Brash topped the overall standings for the Doha Finals in the four- and five-star classes with a total of 199 points. He was followed by Abdullah Al Sharbatly (197 points), and Brit Harry Charles (144 points).In overall standings for the Star category, Qatari rider Saad Ahmed al-Saad topped the table with 90 points, followed by his compatriot Khalid Jassim al-Suwaidi with 89 points, and Qatari rider Hussein Saeed Haidan in third place with 69 points.The top finishers were crowned by Rashid Nasser Saree al-Kaabi, a member of the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026 Organizing Committee and a member of the Al Shaqab Board of Directors, and Bader bin Mohammed al-Darwish, President of the Qatar Equestrian Federation and a member of the Doha Equestrian Tour Organizing Committee.Assistant Tournament Director, Sheikh Talal bin Khaled al-Thani, congratulated the winners. “We had some very impressive competitions in all classes of showjumping, dressage and para dressage. Congratulations to all the winners,” he said. And added: “Special thanks to Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar Olympic Committee, for his unwavering support in the success of the tour. The next edition of the Doha Tour will start on December 30.”The final day of the championship featured five rounds, beginning with the three-star 135cm class which was also bagged by Vanderveen with a time of 58.67 seconds on Bull Run’s Lioness. Qatari rider Saeed Hamad Jumaa was second in 63.86 seconds astride Wathnan Diesel, while his compatriot, Mohammed Yousef al-Jaber, finished third in 64.56 seconds riding Christa 27.The winners were crowned by. Mohammed al-Suwaidi, the stable manager for the championship.The CSI3* - Table C - 1.40m class was clinched by Egyptian Zayed Ali claimed first place finishing in 64.97 seconds on Quirani van de Maltahoeve. Saudi rider Khalid al-Hadi was second in 65 seconds on Capoen, while Qatari rider Sultan Salem al-Nuaimi finished third with a time of 68.3 seconds on his horse Gannan de La Luce.The winners were honored by Engineer Lahdan al-Buainain, the tournament's venue manager.Qatar’s Mohammed Khalifa al-Baker won the CSI3* Grand Prix - Jump Off - 1.50m class clocking 44.86 seconds astride Dukhan 3 Abdullah Alsharbatly was second in 45.73 seconds on Quisandro, while Qatari Hussein Saeed Haidan finished third in 48.62 seconds on Icaterina. |The winners were honoured by Bader bin Mohammed al-Darwish, President of the Qatar Equestrian Federation and member of the Doha Equestrian Tour Organizing Committee.The CSI5* - Faults & Time - 1.50m was also claimed by Vanderveen who clocked the best 73.89 seconds on Starbucks. Egyptian Zein Shady Samir was second with a time of 81.27 seconds on Le Boss, and Qatari Bassem Mohammed ended in third in 73.48 seconds on Wathnan Zodiak.The winners were crowned by Mohammed al-Suwaidi, the tournament's stable manager.Khalifa al-Attiyah, Executive Director of the Doha Equestrian Tour, stated: "With the conclusion of the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026, Qatar has successfully translated its strategic vision into tangible reality through a comprehensive season that constituted one of the most prominent events on the international equestrian calendar, in terms of the level of organization, the scale of participation, and the diversity of the competitions."Mohammed Jaber al-Khayarin, Deputy Director of the Doha Equestrian Tour, said the exceptional season was a significant step in establishing Qatar's position as a leading global center for equestrian sports. “Doha successfully delivered a comprehensive season spanning several months, attracting the world's elite riders to a professional organizational environment and world-class infrastructure at Al Shaqab.” he said. 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English golfer Calum Fitzgerald claimed the Qatar Open Golf Championship title after a commanding final round, finishing the tournament with a total of 225 strokes, nine over par at Doha Golf Club yesterday.The victory also secures him a coveted place in the next edition of prestigious Qatar Masters. Fitzgerald, who also won the 2024 edition of the tournament, expressed his delight at returning to the top. “I thank my father, who acted as my coach and was a great help throughout the tournament. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the course is one of the best in the world. I’m delighted to be back and to win the title two years after my 2024 victory,” he said. “I’m looking forward to returning again, this time at the Qatar Masters, where I will strive to reach the later stages of the tournament,” he said. Qatar Golf Association (QGA) President Hamad Abdullah al-Mana crowned the winners while QGA General Secretary Fahad Nasser al-Nuaimi, and Board Member Mohammed Faisal al-Naimi were also present. QGA Technical Expert Mike Shoueiry and Member of QGA’s Organising Committee Walid Saad hosted the presentation ceremony. Qatari golfer Saleh al-Kaabi, the defending champion, finished second with a total of 12 over par after a strong performance throughout the competition. His compatriot, rising star Daniel Sokolov, claimed third place, just one stroke behind. Other notable finishers included Dean Morris of the United Kingdom in fourth with the same score, England’s Andrew Saunders in fifth at 14 over par, and Australia’s Cam Craner in sixth with 24 over par. Scotland’s Gary Bowman was seventh, Sweden’s Claes Beberg ninth, and Bolivian Pablo Hevia completed the top ten in tenth place at 30 over par. Secretary General of the Qatar Golf Association Fahad al-Nuaimi praised the success of the 40th edition of the tournament. “I would like to thank the Qatar Olympic Committee for allowing us to host this prestigious tournament, which is very dear to the Qatar Golf Association. This is especially significant as this is the 40th edition of the championship, which has been running for over 40 years since its inception in 1983 on the sand courses in Mesaieed,” he said. Al-Nuaimi highlighted the participation of international players and noted Fitzgerald’s repeat victory. “The English player succeeded in winning the title, repeating his achievement from two years ago in the 2024 edition, when he also won the title at the Doha Golf Club,” he added while praising the Qatari contingent. “The second-place finish of Qatari national team players Saleh al-Kaabi and Daniel Sokolov demonstrates the excellent level they displayed in this year’s edition alongside their fellow Qatari participants,” al-Nuaimi said.
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Al Sadd and Al Rayyan players battle for the ball at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil After their win over Umm Salal, Shamal are just two points behind Sadd and have a game in hand Al Shamal boosted their chances of winning the Qatar Stars League title for the first time in their history with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Umm Salal at Al Bayt Stadium yesterday, while leaders Al Sadd were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Rayyan in the ‘Qatar Clasico.’ Al Shamal raised their points tally to 37, strengthening their hold on second place and narrowing the gap with Sadd to just two points after the leaders dropped points earlier in the evening. Shamal also have a postponed match from Round 17 against Qatar SC scheduled at Al Khor Stadium on April 13. Victory in that fixture would see them move to the top of the standings before crucial clashes against Al Shahaniya in Round 21 and Al Sadd in the final round of the season. In contrast, Umm Salal remained stuck in the relegation zone, with their tally unchanged at 20 points in 10th place in the provisional standings, just three points ahead of bottom side Al Shahaniya. Almoez Ali scored winner as Al Duhail secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Al Gharafa.
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The 23rd edition of the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship kicked off at the Dubai World Trade Centre, further cementing the UAE's reputation as a premier global hub for equestrian excellence.With 155 horses representing 12
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Bayern Munich came from two goals down in the last 10 minutes to win 3-2 at Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday, ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Real Madrid.Trailing 2-0 and
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Qatar’s national basketball team will take on China in a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash on Sunday, April 5, 2026, at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup, hosted in Singapore from April 1–5, 2026. The Qatari squad enters the knockout stage with strong ambitions to continue their journey in one of the most competitive editions of the tournament, which brings together elite teams from across Asia and Oceania. The championship features 22 participating teams: Mongolia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tonga, Thailand, Turkmenistan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Macau, the Maldives, and Qatar. Qatar advanced from Group D after an impressive opening victory against India, winning 16–11. The team imposed its style early with disciplined defense and organized offense, capitalizing on close-range opportunities under the basket while neutralizing India’s key players. In their second match, Qatar faced a tougher challenge against New Zealand, one of the continent’s strongest teams, and fell 11–21. With these results, Qatar finished second in Group D behind New Zealand, with both teams securing spots in the knockout stage. Meanwhile, China progressed from Group B. They opened with a narrow 19–21 loss to Malaysia in a tightly contested game decided in the final moments, before bouncing back with a crucial 21–15 win over Australia to book their place in the quarterfinals. The Qatari delegation in Singapore is led by Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams, alongside Captain Yaseen Ismail, Director of the 3x3 National Teams. The squad is coached by Marco and includes players Mohammed Hashem Zidan, Mubarak Jama, Dejan Janic, and Nedim Muslic.
