Latest news with #QBF
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar and South Korea federations strengthen partnership in Seoul aimed at sharing expertise, promoting women's basketball
Tribune News Network Doha In a significant step toward enhancing basketball in Asia, the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) held a pivotal coordination meeting with the Korean Basketball Association (KBA) in Seoul. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Qatari national team's training camp in the South Korean capital, focused on fostering collaboration, sharing expertise, and advancing women's basketball. The high-level delegation from Qatar was led by QBF President Mohammed bin Saad Al Mughaiseeb and Secretary-General Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari. Representing South Korea were KBA President Kwon Hyuk-woon, Vice President Jung Jae-young, Executive Director Lee Kyung-ho, and Vice President Park Han, who oversees women's basketball development. The discussions centered on preparations for the 31st FIBA Asia Cup 2025, scheduled for August 5-17 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with 16 participating teams. Qatar is placed in Group A alongside Australia, South Korea, and Lebanon, while Group B includes Guam, Japan, Syria, and Iran; Group C comprises China, Jordan, India, and Saudi Arabia; and Group D features Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Iraq, and the Philippines. Key topics included technical and administrative cooperation, such as organizing joint training camps, developing youth programs, and supporting women's basketball initiatives. Both federations agreed to launch workshops and training courses for coaches and referees, alongside efforts to enhance tournament management and promote women's basketball. QBF President Mohammed bin Saad Al Mughaiseeb emphasized the meeting's importance: 'This collaboration aligns with our strategy to engage with leading international federations. South Korea's basketball achievements inspire us, and we aim to build robust partnerships to elevate the sport locally and across Asia. We are also committed to preparing for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, which Qatar will host from August 27 to September 12, 2027, marking a historic first for the Middle East and North Africa.' The 2027 World Cup, featuring 32 teams, will be the first FIBA World Cup hosted in the Arab world and the third consecutive edition in Asia, following China (2019) and the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia (2023). Qatar will also be the second Muslim-majority nation to host the event, after Turkey in 2010. Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, QBF Secretary-General, added: 'Partnering with leading federations like the KBA is crucial for developing basketball in Qatar. Joint training programs and knowledge exchange will benefit all parties and help nurture a new generation of talented players to represent Qatar internationally.' During the training camp in Seoul, the Qatari national team will play two friendly matches against South Korea, providing both teams an opportunity to assess their readiness for the Asia Cup while strengthening technical ties. This meeting marks a key milestone in the QBF's efforts to solidify its position in Asian basketball, promote international cooperation, and expand the sport's reach across youth and women's categories. Both federations committed to forming joint working groups to ensure sustained technical and administrative collaboration, laying the foundation for a long-term strategic partnership.
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar's national basketball team trains in South Korea
Tribune News Network Doha The Qatar Men's National Basketball Team has commenced its overseas training camp in Seoul, South Korea, as part of the third phase of its comprehensive preparation program for the 31st FIBA Asia Cup, set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 5 to 17, 2025. The tournament will feature Asia's top 16 national teams. During the camp, Qatar will play two friendly matches against the host nation, South Korea. The first game is scheduled for Friday (1pm Doha Time), while the second will take place on Sunday (July 20), at 9am Doha Time. Mohammed bin Saad Al-Mughaiseeb, President of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), will attend the matches and hold official meetings with representatives of the Korean Basketball Association to strengthen institutional and technical cooperation between the two federations. The Qatari delegation is led by Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, Director of National Teams and Secretary-General of the QBF, alongside Jassim Ibrahim Ashkanani, National Teams Manager. The team is coached by Turkish tactician Hakan Demir. The roster features 16 players: Omar Mohammed Saad, Abdulrahman Saad, Ahmed Saeed Mohammed, Zainuddin Al Badri, Al Haji Bobo Magassa, Babacar Dieng, Mohammed Al Sayed, Saidu Al Haj Ndaye, Hamad Yassin, Mustafa Ndao, Ghassan Hajar, Mahmoud Darwish, Tyler James Lee, Brandon Goodwin, Alen Hadzibegovic, and Mohammed Brashir. Al Mughaiseeb emphasized the strategic importance of the camp, stating, 'This training camp is a critical step in our preparation for the FIBA Asia Cup. We are focusing on every detail to ensure the team is ready both technically and organizationally. Our early preparation, high-level training camps, and confidence in our players and coaching staff, led by Hakan Demir, position us to meet the expectations of Qatari fans.' He added, 'The camp also offers a valuable opportunity to enhance collaboration with the Korean Basketball Association through joint training camps and future friendly matches, fostering mutual growth and expertise exchange.' Al Kuwari echoed these sentiments, noting, 'This camp is pivotal for our preparation. Facing a team of South Korea's caliber provides our players with high-level exposure that will directly enhance our collective performance. We are committed to preparing the team to its fullest potential for the continental championship.' Following the South Korea camp, the team will return to Doha for the fourth phase of preparations, which includes participating in an international friendly tournament at Lusail Multipurpose Hall from July 28 to August 1, 2025. The event will feature Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Japan. Qatar's preparations began in June with a training camp in Turkey from June 19 to July 3, 2025, which included intensive drills and internal scrimmages. The team then held a short domestic camp in Doha, playing two friendly matches against India on July 11 and 13. At the 31st FIBA Asia Cup, Qatar is drawn in Group A alongside Australia, South Korea, and Lebanon. The team will open its campaign with a highly anticipated match against Lebanon on August 6, 2025. The tournament follows a group-stage format, with the top team from each group advancing directly to the quarterfinals, while the second- and third-placed teams compete in crossover play-offs to determine the remaining quarter-finalists.
Qatar Tribune
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Bandar Al Suwaidi to officiate at FIBA Women's Asian Cup
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar's international referee Bandar Al Suwaidi has been selected to officiate matches at the 2025 FIBA Women's Asian Cup, the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has announced. The tournament which features 16 of the continent's elite teams is scheduled to be held in Shenzhen, China, from July 13 to 20. Al Suwaidi's selection highlights the close cooperation between the QBF and the FIBA Regional Office in Asia, reflecting the confidence FIBA has in Qatari officials. Al Suwaidi is one of Qatar's most prominent referees, with extensive experience in local, regional, and international tournaments. His high level of competence recently earned him a spot on the FIBA list of international referees for the 2025-2027 period. The international accreditation also included three other Qatari referees: Youssef Zainal, Alaa Sulaiman, and Yassin Kashkash. All four officials passed the required technical and international tests, granting them full eligibility to officiate FIBA-supervised tournaments. The Women's Asian Cup is a major event on the basketball calendar, serving as the official qualifier for the 2026 Women's World Cup in Germany. This adds significant competitive importance to the tournament and places high demands on the quality of its refereeing. All matches will be held at the Shenzhen Sports Center, with prominent Asian basketball stars participating. The Qatar Basketball Federation stated that this nomination affirms its commitment to developing national referees and supporting their presence at the highest levels, enhancing the status of Qatari sports on the international stage.
Qatar Tribune
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar basketball team to meet India in friendly today
Tribune News Network Doha As part of the second phase of the national basketball team's preparatory programme, Qatar will meet India a friendly game on Friday at the QBF Hall at 7pm. This game serves as a component of the Qatari national team's preparations for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Finals, which will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 5 to 17, featuring 16 participating teams. The draw has placed the Qatar in Group A, alongside Australia, South Korea, and Lebanon. Group B consists of Guam, Japan, Syria, and Iran. Group C includes China, Jordan, India, and Saudi Arabia, while Group D comprises Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Iraq, and the Philippines. The Qatar national team is set to commence their campaign on August 6th against Lebanon. The tournament format has been established based on a group system, where the leading teams in each group will qualify directly for the quarterfinals, while the second and third-place teams in each group will engage in knockout matches using a cross-match system to identify the remaining teams. Qatar are currently undertaking their internal training camp in Doha, supervised by the technical staff led by Turkish coach Hakan Demir, with the involvement of all newly joined players, as part of efforts to improve both technical and physical readiness. The Indian national team arrived in Doha on Thursday morning, July 10th, where it was welcomed by several representatives of the QBF. The visiting team is conducting its daily training sessions at the QBF's gym in Al Gharafa, in conjunction with the training sessions of the Qatari national team, which are also held in the same facility. The friendly game will offer the technical staff of the Qatar national team a chance to experiment with various tactical strategies and assess the players' performance in a competitive setting akin to continental games. Additionally, it will foster team unity, particularly after the successful completion of the initial phase of preparations in Turkey last month. A second friendly game between the two teams will be played on Sunday. It will mark the conclusion of this segment of the internal camp, prior to moving on to the third phase in South Korea from July 16 to 21.
Qatar Tribune
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar to host 2026 FIBA U-18 Asia Cup
Tribune News Network Doha The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has announced that Qatar has been chosen to host the 2026 FIBA U-18 Asia Cup. It was officially included in the FIBA Asia Events Calendar for 2026-2028, which received approval during the FIBA Asia Board of Directors meeting held on June 26, 2025. The host nations for various key continental championships were also revealed. Qatar will be the venue for this prestigious tournament, featuring 16 Asian teams competing in intense matches across two modern stadiums, with an average of eight games scheduled each day. This underscores Qatar's exceptional organizational preparedness and its capability to serve as a comprehensive model for hosting major sporting events. The announcement aligns with Qatar's role as the host for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will take place for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region, from August 28 to September 12, 2027. Hosting this international event signifies a historic milestone for basketball in the region and highlights Qatar's global sporting reputation and dedication to promoting and advancing team sports. QBF President Mohammed bin Saad Al Mughaiseeb, said: 'It is a great honour for us to host the 2026 AFC U-18 Asian Cup, a continental championship that represents an important platform for discovering and developing young basketball talent from across Asia. We are also proud to host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time in our region, a historic event that will place Qatar at the heart of global sporting events. He added, 'This hosting confirms the success of our ongoing efforts to develop the game and highlights Qatar's prestigious position on the continental and international sports map. 'We believe that hosting these tournaments will provide a strong incentive for our young athletes and open up broad horizons for them to interact with the global and continental levels.' He also indicated that the QBF is collaborating closely with the relevant authorities, the Asian Basketball Confederation, and FIBA to ensure the organization of outstanding tournaments that merge professionalism with excellent organization, while fostering a competitive and healthy atmosphere for all teams involved, including players, coaches, administrators, and fans. Al Mughaiseeb added that the federation is eager to host numerous upcoming tournaments aimed at promoting the 2027 FIFA World Cup Qatar, optimally preparing national teams, enhancing Qatari talent during continental and international competitions, and contributing to the advancement of sports tourism in Qatar. The FIBA Asia Regional Office announced host nations for the 2026-2028 FIBA events, which include The Philippines, set to host the 2027 Women's Asian Cup for the first time in over ten years; Indonesia, which will host the 2027 and 2028 U-16 Women's Asian Cups; Kazakhstan, designated to host the 2028 U-18 Women's Asian Cup; and Jordan, which will host the 2027 U-16 Women's Asian Cup.
