Doha – July 23, 2026:
The Qatar U-18 national basketball team continues its intensive preparations ahead of the Gulf qualifying tournament for the FIBA U-18 Asian Championship, which will be hosted in Doha from July 25 to 30 at Al Gharafa Sports Hall, with the participation of teams from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

Hosting this event reflects Qatar’s prominent role in staging regional and continental sports competitions. Organizational preparations have been completed to welcome the participating delegations, with expectations of a high-level tournament combining strong competition and technical excellence among Gulf teams eager to secure qualification to the continental finals.

The qualifiers hold particular significance as the first gateway for Gulf teams toward continental competition. Played in a single round-robin format, each team will contest four matches, with the top three in the final standings earning direct qualification to the U-18 Asian Championship in India this August.

Beyond continental qualification, the tournament also offers the chance to advance toward the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup, as the Asian Championship will award four spots to the global event scheduled in the Czech Republic from June 26 to July 4, 2027. This raises the stakes and provides young players with added motivation to deliver their best performances.

The Qatari team enters the qualifiers following a comprehensive preparation program led by Turkish head coach Cengiz Karadağ, designed to enhance players’ physical and technical readiness and strengthen team cohesion ahead of official competition. Earlier this month, the squad completed an overseas training camp in Yalova, Turkey (July 6–15), which featured daily intensive sessions, friendly matches against Turkish clubs, and a test against Turkey’s U-18 national team. The camp allowed the coaching staff to evaluate player levels, refine defensive and offensive strategies, and build collective harmony—essential for success in a short, demanding tournament.

Qualifiers Schedule

• Saturday, July 25: Kuwait vs. Oman (4:00 PM); Saudi Arabia vs. Bahrain (6:00 PM)
• Sunday, July 26: Bahrain vs. Kuwait (4:00 PM); Qatar vs. Saudi Arabia (6:00 PM)
• Monday, July 27: Oman vs. Bahrain (4:00 PM); Qatar vs. Kuwait (6:00 PM)
• Wednesday, July 29: Saudi Arabia vs. Kuwait (4:00 PM); Qatar vs. Oman (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, July 30: Oman vs. Saudi Arabia (4:00 PM); Qatar vs. Bahrain (6:00 PM)

The Qatari team approaches the competition with high ambitions, aiming to capitalize on home advantage and strong fan support, backed by the Qatar Basketball Federation’s commitment to developing youth teams and nurturing a new generation capable of representing the nation at regional and continental levels.

The squad includes Team Director Khalid Ahmed Al-Mughni, Head Coach Cengiz Karadağ, assistants Abdo Al-Harji, Hashem Zaidan, and Mounir Ben Ghalla, fitness coach Kenan, physiotherapist Saif Al-Hamandi, and administrators Omar Ahmed and Ayoub Lutfi. The player roster features: Tamim Ashraf Abu Issa, Mishal Khalid Al-Mughni, Moaz Omar Mousa, Azzam Mohammed Yaken, Ziad Tamer Al-Johari, Mohammed Saeed Badri, Mahmoud Tamer Ibrahim, Amer Ibrahim Mousa, Owen Ikina, Youssef Waleed Abdelqader, and Shahi Mohammed.

Qatari fans eagerly await the tournament’s kickoff, hoping their team will deliver strong performances, secure one of the three qualification spots, and continue the journey toward the Asian Championship—and ultimately the dream of reaching the U-19 World Cup.