Qatar's Ahmed Tijan (right) celebrates during the match against Iran.
Doha, Qatar: All eyes are on an all-Qatari clash in the Round of 16 of the beach volleyball competition at the Asian Beach Games - Sanya 2026, as Qatar’s men’s teams meet today at the start of the knockout stage.
The matchup follows the first team of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan finishing top of Group B after a 2-1 win over Iran yesterday (21-11, 21-23, 15-13), underlining their title credentials. The second team, Mohamed Ehab and Moussa Al-Khair, placed second in their group after a 0-2 loss to hosts China, setting up a direct encounter with their compatriots.
The fixture guarantees Qatar a place in the quarter-finals and highlights the team’s strong group-stage performance. Younousse and Tijan opened with wins over the Maldives and Uzbekistan, while Ehab and Al-Khair defeated Saudi Arabia and Macau before their loss to China.
In the women’s competition, Haya Abu Issa and Laila Mohammed exited after a 0-2 defeat to China on Saturday.
Qatar is represented by four teams—two men’s and two women’s—reflecting growing participation and the sport’s expanding continental presence.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s beach handball team faces Thailand today, aiming to secure a place in the semi-finals and continue its title defence. The team enters the match in strong form, having recorded five consecutive wins against Pakistan, Oman, Bangladesh, Mongolia and Jordan to top the group with 10 points. Drawn in a competitive group that also includes the Maldives and Thailand, Qatar has maintained a high level from the outset.
Bright start for Qatar’s men’s 3x3 basketball team
Qatar’s men’s 3x3 basketball team opened their Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026 campaign with two wins, defeating Bahrain 21-11 and Kazakhstan 22-15 to boost their qualification chances.
The team delivered strong performances in both matches, imposing a fast pace and making the most of scoring opportunities through effective teamwork to secure a perfect start. In contrast, the women’s team lost their opener 5-21 to China.
Qatar’s men are in Group C alongside Bahrain, India and Kazakhstan, while the women compete in Group A with China and Kazakhstan.
The knockout rounds begin on Tuesday, with the competition concluding on Wednesday with the semi-finals and final.
Elsewhere, Qatar’s sailing team continues its participation at the Sanya 2026 Asian Beach Games, with Tamim Shams set to compete in the sixth and seventh races of the Optimist class for boys, while Thani Shams will race in the sixth and seventh rounds of the ILCA 4 class.
China extended its lead in the medal standings at the Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026 after yesterday’s events, with 19 medals (9 gold, 8 silver, 2 bronze). Thailand moved into second with eight medals (3 gold), followed by the Philippines in third with six (3 gold). The United Arab Emirates ranked fourth with six medals (2 gold), while Vietnam placed fifth with five medals (2 gold), as competition remains tight heading into the final stages.
