Football

Doha: Qatar successfully hosted the decisive AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027qualifier between Lebanon and Yemen at Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha, with Yemen claiming a 2-0 victory to secure their place in the continental championship. Originally scheduled to be hosted in Beirut, the final decisive qualifier for the AFC Asian Cupconcluded on neutral soil in Qatar, jointly delivered by the Local Organising Committee for Football Events (LOC) and the Lebanese Football Association (LFA). Fans from across Qatar and the region attended the match, which saw Yemen claim the final spot in Group E of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, joining South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. Yemen’s historic victory marks their return to the continental championship eight years after their historic debut at the 2019 edition. The 19th edition of the AFC Asian Cupis set to take place in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February 2027. The Lebanon v Yemen qualifier is the latest in a series of high-profile matches hosted in Qatar, reaffirming the country’s position as a trusted host for international sporting events. With a capacity of 13,000, Grand Hamad Stadium has a distinguished record of staging FIFA World Cupqualification matches and served as the official base camp for the Brazil national football team during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The venue continues to serve as home ground of local club Al-Arabi SC.

Tennis

Paris: Maja Chwalinska made French Open history on Thursday as the world number 114 became the first qualifier in the professional era to reach the Roland Garros final, where she will take on Mirra Andreeva. The Pole downed Diana Shnaider 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in the last four to join Russian 19-year-old Andreeva, a straight-sets winner over Marta Kostyuk, in Saturday's title-decider. Should she best Andreeva in the final, Chwalinska will become just the second woman to come through qualifying and win a Grand Slam final in any major since the Open era began, after Emma Raducanu's title run at the US Open in 2021. The 24-year-old said her run in the French capital was "like a dream", moments after beating 25th seed Shnaider, who a day before eliminated world number one Aryna Sabalenka. "I don't know what's going on, I just, I dunno what to say. I'm sorry, I'm just very happy," she added to raucous applause on Court Philippe Chatrier. Chwalinska, appearing in her first main draw in Paris, has won nine matches across a three-week campaign at Roland Garros that started with three rounds of qualifying last month. She admitted that her physical state was "not great" in the aftermath of her two-hour-10-minute semi-final win. "I mean it's so challenging to play against the best players in the world day by day, but it's a Grand Slam so you just have to give your best day by day," she added. "But I'm not complaining at all!" Chwalinska had only won one match in her two previous Grand Slam appearances, at Wimbledon in 2022, and only just two tour-level matches on clay before Roland Garros. En route to the last four, Chwalinska started out by downing Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen in the first round before felling 23rd seed Elise Mertens, former world number three Maria Sakkari, hometown hope Diane Parry and 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya. Chwalinska is projected to climb to at least a career-high No. 21 in the rankings. After edging the first set on a tie-break, the second frame was level until Shnaider requested a medical time-out for a back massage. After that stoppage, at 4-3, Chwalinska won the next three games to claim victory. "Very proud of myself, what I achieved here," Shnaider said of her best performance so far in a Grand Slam. "(Chwalinska) played unreal, and she definitely deserved this win today and to be in the final." Earlier, Andreeva raced into her first Grand Slam final as she beat an erratic Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3. The teenager, who had twice lost to Ukrainian Kostyuk this season, including the Madrid Open final, said she was "so focused that I could see those hairs on the ball" as she romped to victory in 76 minutes on court. "I'm super happy with the way I played and then that I got revenge for Madrid final and I'm happy that I'm in my first-ever Grand Slam final," Andreeva said. The 15th-seeded Kostyuk went into her maiden major semi-final on a 17-match winning streak on clay but quickly unravelled on Court Philippe Chatrier, where she had four days earlier eased past four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek. She finished the match with 34 unforced errors, telling her press conference: "Obviously not the greatest match from me today." However, it has been a breakthrough clay-court swing for the 23-year-old, who can console herself with a win in Rouen, as well as a first WTA 1000 title in the Spanish capital. Victory for Andreeva brought her tally of wins in 2026 to 35 -- the most on tour this season.

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: The Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM) has signed a funding agreement with the Qatar Football Association (QFA) to support the Qatari fans delegation program, aimed at backing the national team during the FIFA World Cup 2026. Under the agreement, the fund will provide the necessary financial support to enable the Qatar Football Association to implement a comprehensive plan for transporting the Qatari fans delegation from the State of Qatar to the United States and Canada. The program includes travel arrangements, flight tickets through Qatar Airways, the official carrier, as well as hotel accommodations and local transportation. On this occasion, Mansoor Mohammed Al Ansari, Secretary General of Qatar Football Association, praised the agreement, stating:"We extend our sincere thanks to DAAM for this valuable cooperation and outstanding support in funding the travel arrangements for Qatari fans attending our national team's matches at the FIFAWorld Cup 2026. We look forward to a safe and successful journey, as well as exceptional support from our fans at this global event. Undoubtedly, this support from the fund represents a key pillar in the implementation of our operational plans across all aspects, enabling us to deliver an outstanding fan experience for Qatari supporters during the FIFA World Cup 2026." Read Also Qatar's HIMYAN card now accepted for payments in Bahrain Real estate trading exceeds QAR277million in one week Strong winds, high seas in Qatar throughout the weekend For his part, Hassan Yousef Al Obaidly, Director of Programs at the DAAM, said: "We are proud to support this initiative, which goes beyond being merely a supporters' trip. It represents a message of loyalty and encouragement for our national team at the world's biggest sporting event. Through this support, we aim to remove all obstacles facing Qatari fans, enabling them to stand firmly behind Al Annabi and contribute to showcasing Qatar's identity on the global stage." The initiative is expected to facilitate the participation of approximately 1,000 individuals, including Qatari supporters, members of the supporters' association, media representatives, and players' families, to support the national team, strengthen media coverage, and create a vibrant atmosphere that will help drive the team toward achieving the best possible results at this global event. This agreement reflects the leading role played by both DAAMand the companies listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange in supporting sports initiatives, in line with the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030. Since its establishment in 2010, DAAM has launched numerous impactful projects and initiatives across cultural, social, sports, and charitable sectors. Contributions from companies listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange remain among the fund's most important financial resources, making them key partners in advancing community development.