Doha – 28 August 2026:
The Qatar national basketball team has arrived in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, in preparation for their upcoming match against Japan on Monday, 31 August, in the team’s second fixture of the current window of the second round of the FIBA Asia Qualifiers for the 2027 Basketball World Cup.

The delegation is headed by Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams. The squad has already begun preparations for the highly anticipated encounter, with head coach Hakan Demir focusing on correcting mistakes and enhancing both technical and physical readiness ahead of the Japanese test.

The Qatar–Japan clash will be held at Toyota Arena Tokyo, where Qatar will be seeking a positive result to bounce back from its opening setback, having lost to China 57–83 last Thursday at Al Janoub Arena in Doha. That match coincided with the official inauguration of the arena in its new basketball configuration, witnessed by a large crowd.

Japan enters the contest on the back of a strong start, defeating Saudi Arabia 106–78. Star player Rui Hachimura shone in that game, scoring 29 points, underlining Japan’s offensive strength ahead of facing Qatar.

This match carries significant weight in Group F, which includes Qatar, Japan, China, Lebanon, Korea, and Saudi Arabia. Results from the first round of the window confirmed Japan’s place among the frontrunners, while Qatar aims to improve its standing in the second round.

Qatar’s roster for the current window features 12 players: Mostafa Foda, Mike Lewis, Mahmoud Darwish, Abdullah Musa, Ndawi Elhaj Sidou, Abdullah Saad, Mohamed Hashem, Ousmane Dieng, Osama Arafa, Abdulrahman Yahya, Omar Saad, and Aladji Bobo Magassa.

The technical staff is led by Hakan Demir, assisted by Cengiz Karadag, Maurice Memic, and Abdou Sow, with Mohamed Fural serving as fitness and conditioning coach. The administrative staff includes Jassim Ibrahim Ashkanani as Team Manager and Nabil Jumaa as Assistant Manager. The medical team comprises Dr. Adel Harmiya (Team Doctor), Dr. Adel Selim (Physiotherapist), and Nikasio Sagaino (Massage Therapist).

Although Qatar is already guaranteed a place in the 2027 Basketball World Cup as the host nation, the qualifiers remain a vital part of the team’s preparation program. They provide the coaching staff with valuable opportunities to compete against Asia’s strongest teams and assess the squad ahead of the global event in Doha.

Qatar’s journey in the second round continues beyond the Japan clash, with upcoming fixtures against Korea on 26 November, Japan again on 29 November in Doha, China on 26 February 2027, and Korea on 1 March 2027. In parallel, the team is preparing for the basketball competition at the Asian Games “Aichi–Nagoya 2026,” where the draw placed Qatar in Group B alongside Iran, Jordan, and Chinese Taipei, offering further high-level challenges in the months ahead.