1. Home
  2. Sports

Category: Sports

Sports
Sheikh Joaan meets State Councilor of China

Sheikh Joaan meets State Councilor of China

President of the Olympic Council of Asia HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani met with State Councilor of China Shen Yiqin, in the presence of Chinese Olympic Committee President and Minister of Sport Gao Qidan to enhance cooperation between the two sides. The meeting focused on strengthening strategic partnerships to support the Asian Olympic Movement, boost its international presence, and expand collaboration in hosting major sporting events across Asia. The OCA president expressed appreciation for China’s efforts in hosting the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, praising the high level of organisation and readiness, reflecting the country’s growing global sporting stature. Discussions also highlighted China’s increasing focus on sport and its ambition to host events at all levels, reinforcing its role as a key partner in advancing the Asian Olympic Movement. The meeting was attended by First Vice President of the OCA Timothy Fok Tsun-ting; Vice President of the OCA, Otabek Umarov; Vice President of the OCA, Norza Zakaria; Director General of the OCA, Husain Al-Musallam; and Head of the Office of the OCA President and Director of International Relations, Sheikh Faisal bin Ahmed al-Thani. This meeting comes as part of the OCA’s efforts to strengthen relations with member countries and support initiatives that advance Asian sport and promote unity across nations. 

Sports
Sheikh Joaan attends Asian Beach Games Opening Ceremony

Sheikh Joaan attends Asian Beach Games Opening Ceremony

HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), attended the opening ceremony of the Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026, which was held at Yasha Park, in a vibrant celebratory atmosphere reflecting the rich cultural diversity of Asia. The opening ceremony was attended by a number of senior official and sporting figures, led by Shen Yiqin, State Councilor of China, Thomas Bach, Honorary President for Life of the International Olympic Committee and Husain al-Musallam, Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia, along with members of the Executive Board and a number of Vice Presidents. In attendance also were Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, Second Vice President of the QOC, Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain, Secretary General of the QOC and Abdullah bin Nasser al-Hajri, Consul of Qatar in Guangzhou. This edition marks the first Asian sporting event to be held under the leadership of Sheikh Joaan at the OCA, signaling the beginning of a new phase for sport across the continent — one that focuses on empowering youth and strengthening the role of sport as a platform for cooperation and connection among Asian nations. The Asian Beach Games form part of the OCA’s multi-sport events calendar for 2026. They will be followed by the Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, as well as the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from December 13 to 21. The Asian Beach Games will continue until April 30, featuring the participation of 1,790 male and female athletes representing 45 Asian countries, with expectations for a distinguished edition both in terms of organisation and technical standards. 

Sports
Asian Beach Games open with grand ceremony in Sanya

Asian Beach Games open with grand ceremony in Sanya

The opening ceremony, held at the Arena Theatre in Yasha Park in Sanya, featured spectacular performances. The vibrant artistic showcase highlighted Asian and Chinese identity  The 6th Asian Beach Games - Sanya 2026 officially opened yesterday in a festive atmosphere reflecting the cultural diversity of Asia. The opening ceremony, held at the Arena Theatre in Yasha Park, featured a spectacular performance entitled ‘A Date with the Sea and Sky.’ The vibrant artistic showcase highlighted Asian and Chinese identity while promoting the tourist attractions and tropical nature of Hainan Island, as well as the unique coastal character of Sanya. Following the cultural performance, six athletes, including retired table tennis star Ding Ning, lit the torch to officially open the Games. The Qatari delegation made a notable appearance in the parade of nations, with aquathlon athlete Shaheen al-Kaabi and women’s beach volleyball player Haya Abu-Issa carrying the Qatari flag.  Aquathlon athlete Shaheen al-Kaabi and women's beach volleyball player Haya Abu-Issa carried Qatar's flag at Opening Ceremony.  Beach Handball Team Continues Title DefenceMeanwhile, Qatar’s beach handball team continues its campaign today with two matches against Bangladesh and Mongolia in the first round, after winning two matches against Pakistan and Oman on Tuesday. Qatar will face Jordan tomorrow, followed by Thailand on Sunday, before concluding the group stage against the Maldives on Monday, aiming to secure top position and maintain momentum towards the knockout rounds. Meanwhile, Qatar’s men’s and women’s beach volleyball teams begin their campaigns today. The men’s first team, comprising Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, play their opening match against the Maldives, then face Uzbekistan tomorrow, before concluding group stage matches against Iran on Saturday. Meanwhile, the men’s second team, consisting of Mohamed Ehab and Moussa al-Khair, face Saudi Arabia today, followed by matches against Macau and China. In the women’s competition, Qatar is represented by two teams. The first team, comprising Haya Abu Issa and Laila Mohammed, begins its campaign tomorrow against Sri Lanka before facing China on Saturday in Group A. The second team, consisting of Malak Hashem and Nelly Shalaby, face teams from Japan and South Korea in Group B. Qatar’s sailing team begins its participation, with Tamim Shams competing in the Optimist class for boys, while Thani Shams will participate in the ILCA 4 class. Shaheen al-Kaabi will also compete in the aquathlon competition today. Jiu-jitsu team member Ahmed Al-Qardaghi is scheduled to begin his competition tomorrow in the men’s 77kg weight class. 

Sports
Eala and Starodubtseva move ahead as Prizmic stuns Berret…

Eala and Starodubtseva move ahead as Prizmic stuns Berret…

Filipina star Alexandra Eala enjoyed a strong start to her Madrid Open campaign on Wednesday, moving past Russian qualifier Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-3 to reach the second round at the event for the third straight

Sports
Mbappe and Vinicius lift Real out of 4-game slump with win over Alaves

Mbappe and Vinicius lift Real out of 4-game slump with win over Alaves

Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior each scored as Real Madrid ended a four-game winless streak by defeating Alaves 2-1 on Tuesday to move closer to Spanish league leader Barcelona.The victory at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium

Sports
Chelsea sack coach Rosenior amid worst goal scoring droug…

Chelsea sack coach Rosenior amid worst goal scoring droug…

Chelsea sacked manager Liam Rosenior on Wednesday following a catastrophic run of form that has ‌left the London club’s Champions League hopes hanging by a thread while they also endured their worst goalscoring drought ​in

Sports
FIFA releases more tickets for 2026 World Cup

FIFA releases more tickets for 2026 World Cup

FIFA has announced the release of a new allocation of tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 50 days ahead of the tournament's kick off in North America.In a statement published on its official website, FIFA said fans will be able to purchase tickets for all 104 matches through FIFA's online platform from 13:00 GMT, with sales conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.The governing body added that more than five million tickets have already been sold. While this phase is described as the final stage of ticket sales, FIFA noted that additional tickets will continue to be made available periodically until the final match on July 19.The 2026 edition of the World Cup will be the largest in the competition's history, featuring 48 teams - an expansion from the previous format of 32 nations.The tournament, jointly hosted by three countries for the first time, is expected to draw unprecedented global attendance and viewership. Related Story

Sports
IPL star and Bihar boy Sakib Hussain’s mother sold her je…

IPL star and Bihar boy Sakib Hussain’s mother sold her je…

Sakib Hussain's father is a labourer from India's poorest state and his mother sold her jewellery to buy him bowling boots.Their sacrifices – and his tears – paid off after the 21-year-old fast bowler made

Sports
Tyler Reddick wins NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas

Tyler Reddick wins NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas

NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick is riding the kind of Cup Series hot streak that Michael Jordan once enjoyed in his playing days.Oh, you can bet the NBA Hall of Famer is enjoying this one, too.Reddick

Sports
Venus Williams, 45, eyes the French Open after a 10th straight loss

Venus Williams, 45, eyes the French Open after a 10th straight loss

Venus Williams has her sights on the French Open.The 45-year-old former world No. 1 said Tuesday after losing her 10th straight singles match that she is considering playing at Roland Garros next month."Yeah, I mean,