Kuwait faces a crucial test against Saudi Arabia at the West Asia Volleyball Championship
Also in Group A, Qatar will take on Oman, while Group B features two matchups: the UAE vs. Jordan and Bahrain vs. Lebanon.
The tournament officially began late last night, with Kuwait facing Oman in its opening fixture.
In preparation for the championship, the Kuwaiti squad held an overseas training camp in Tunisia, where it played four friendlies—winning two and losing two. Under the leadership of Argentine head coach Julián Álvarez and assistant coach Zaid Al-Kazemi, the team aims to deliver strong performances and secure a spot in the semifinals.
This first-ever edition of the West Asia Championship carries significant weight, as it is held under the umbrella of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), and its outcomes will influence international rankings. Being the inaugural tournament, every participating nation is highly motivated to make history by becoming the first champion of the event.
In other news, continental referee Hussein Al-Tamimi has arrived in Bahrain to participate in officiating matches throughout the tournament.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
17 hours ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait takes on UAE as the Arab Basketball Championship begins in Bahrain
MANAMA, July 24: Kuwait will tip off its campaign in the 26th Arab Basketball Championship this evening with a match against the UAE national team at 6:00 pm, as part of the first round of the tournament currently being hosted in Bahrain until August 2. The opening day will also feature two other matches: Tunisia vs Algeria at 4:00 pm, and host Bahrain plays Qatar at 8:00 pm. A total of seven teams are competing for the title: UAE, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. The competition will follow a single round-robin format, with all teams facing each other once. The team with the highest points at the end will be crowned champion. All matches are being held at Khalifa Sports City Hall. As part of its preparation, the Kuwaiti team held an external training camp in Turkey, where it played three friendlies against Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Azerbaijan. The team is led by Serbian head coach Oliver Kostić and assistant coach Khaled Al-Qallaf. Coach Kostić described the tournament as a valuable opportunity for the squad's young players, many of whom are experiencing their first major international competition. 'We played several friendly matches in the Istanbul camp, which helped create harmony among the players,' Kostić said upon arriving in Bahrain. 'We have a young team that we are trying to prepare for the future by allowing some players to participate alongside the experienced players.' Ahmed Al-Balushi echoed the coach's sentiment, calling the tournament a chance to build a new core of players and allow emerging talent to gain experience at a high level. 'The tournament is very strong, with teams that have long histories in this competition,' he said. 'But we will give our best to perform at a decent level and present a respectable image to Kuwaiti fans.'
Arab Times
18 hours ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait U-16 basketball team departs for Egypt ahead of Arab Championship
KUWAIT CITY, July 24: The Kuwaiti under-16 basketball team is set to travel to Egypt for a 15-day training camp as part of its final preparations for the Arab Championship, which will take place in Cairo from August 10 to 17. The delegation is led by Thamer Al-Shanfa, Secretary-General of the Kuwait Basketball Federation, and includes Mishaal Mohammed and Fahad Al-Bous as administrators. The team will be managed by Taleb Al-Kandari, with Talal Al-Qallaf serving as head coach and Yahya Al-Bahr as assistant coach. The 16-player squad consists of: Abdulaziz Al-Tahous, Ali Abbas, Abdulrahman Al-Marzouq, Ali Al-Salahi, Omar Al-Asaq, Fareej Al-Freej, Ali Al-Hindal, Abdulaziz Al-Mutawa, Musaed Al-Obaidi, Omar Al-Saleh, Ali Al-Rabah, Abdulrahman Al-Rabah, Mishaal Al-Azmi, Abdullah Al-Jarid, Suwait Al-Dhafiri, and Abdulrahman Al-Qatifi. Speaking ahead of the trip, Al-Shanfa emphasized that this training camp is a key part of the national team's broader preparation strategy. 'This championship brings together some of the strongest teams in the Arab world, giving our players valuable experience and exposure,' he said. Al-Shanfa also reaffirmed the association's commitment to developing junior and youth teams by encouraging participation in regional and international tournaments. 'We're focused on creating opportunities for our young players to compete and grow by playing against top Arab teams,' he added.
Arab Times
3 days ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait faces a tough test against Bahrain at the West Asia Volleyball Championship
MANAMA, July 22: The Kuwait national volleyball team is set for a tough showdown against host and title favorite Bahrain at 7:00 pm tonight in the quarterfinals of the inaugural West Asia Volleyball Championship, currently taking place at Isa bin Rashid Hall in Bahrain and running through July 27. The quarterfinal action also features Saudi Arabia vs. Jordan at 1:00 pm, the UAE vs. Oman at 3:00 pm, and Qatar vs. Lebanon at 5:00 pm. Kuwait heads into the knockout stage after suffering its second tournament loss—a close 3-2 defeat to Qatar in the final match of Group B. That round also saw Saudi Arabia secure a 3-0 victory over Oman. Qatar topped the group with 8 points, followed by Saudi Arabia with 4 points. Oman took third with 3 points, edging out Kuwait—who also had 3 points—based on set difference. Despite the loss, Kuwait, under Argentine coach Julián Álvarez, showed flashes of brilliance against a strong Qatari side. After a slow start and a heavy 25-12 loss in the first set, Kuwait bounced back to take the second 25-23. Qatar regained control in the third set, winning 25-17, but Kuwait refused to back down and leveled the match with a 25-22 fourth set win. In the decisive fifth set, Qatar prevailed 15-11. While Kuwait faces an uphill battle against a confident Bahraini team playing on home soil and in front of its fans, the Blue team has proven it can rise to the occasion. A strong performance from Kuwait's key players could very well lead to a surprise result in tonight's highly anticipated clash.
