Doha: The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has officially announced the upcoming second edition of the International Friendly Basketball Championship, scheduled for 2025. This announcement was made during a press conference held on Monday afternoon at the Federation’s conference hall, attended by Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, QBF Secretary-General; Mishaal Abdullah Al Maliki, a Board Member and Chairman of the QBF Media Committee; and Fouad Gerges, Founder and CEO of “Step Ahead” Company, along with numerous representatives from various media outlets.
Al Kuwari commenced the conference by extending a warm welcome to all attendees and confirmed that the QBF has entered into a partnership with Step Ahead Sports Company to facilitate the organization of this championship, which will take place from February 14 to 16, 2025, at the Qatar University Hall.
This tournament is part of a broader initiative aimed at promoting and preparing for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, which will be hosted by Qatar.
Al Kuwari further elaborated that the tournament will feature the participation of four national teams: Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Philippines, recognized as some of the top teams from Asia and Africa. The primary objective of the tournament is to enhance the Qatari team’s preparedness for the third Asian window of the qualifiers for the 2025 Asian Cup.
The Qatari team is scheduled to compete in an away match against the Kazakhstan team on February 21, followed by a home game against the Indian team in Doha on February 24. Al Kuwari emphasized that the qualifiers will take place on a home-and-away basis across three windows, with the top two teams from each group qualifying directly for the Asian Cup. The teams finishing in third place will enter additional qualifiers to determine four more teams that will complete the roster for the continental championship, set to occur in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, next August.
Al Kuwari confirmed that the participating teams are expected to arrive in Doha on February 12 and 13, with departures scheduled for February 17 and 18. He noted that all tournament matches will be hosted at the Qatar University Hall, which has a capacity of 5,000 spectators. He expressed optimism that the tournament will attract a significant audience and be well-received due to the high caliber of sportsmanship on display.
Furthermore, Al Kuwari disclosed that the partnership agreement with Step Ahead Company will facilitate numerous tournaments and friendly matches for the Qatari national team, aimed at optimal preparation for the 2027 World Cup, the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East and North Africa region. He added that the partnership will also encompass the organization of training camps for the national team and the implementation of training workshops for the federation’s staff to enhance the sport. Al-Kuwari concluded by underscoring the significance of this tournament in delivering a distinctive sporting experience and enriching the basketball landscape in Qatar, while also providing the local organizing committee with the opportunity to refine its expertise and foster engagement with fans in anticipation of the 2027 World Cup.
Fouad Gerges, the Founder and CEO of Step Ahead, conveyed his satisfaction regarding the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Qatar Basketball Federation, which will facilitate the organization of the second edition of the 2025 International Friendly Basketball Championship scheduled for next February.
Gerges expressed his enthusiasm for partnering with the Qatar Basketball Federation, emphasizing the importance of this collaboration in preparing the Qatari national team for the 2027 Basketball World Cup. He noted that the participation of an Arab team in such a prestigious global event is a significant source of pride.
He further elaborated that the partnership is set to span three years and will encompass a series of friendly international tournaments, both within Qatar and abroad. This initiative aims to attract top international teams to enhance the skills and performance of Qatari national basketball players.
Mishaal Abdullah Al Malki, a member of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Basketball Federation, highlighted the comprehensive media strategy in place to cover this significant event, which includes the organization of the international friendly tournament. He mentioned that the Al Kass Channels Network will be responsible for broadcasting the matches, which will take place at the Qatar University Hall. Additionally, he noted the interest from various Arab channels in Egypt and Lebanon, as well as channels from the Philippines, to broadcast the tournament events.
Al Malki invited the fans to attend and support the Qatari team in the tournament, which witnesses the participation of the best teams in the continents of Asia and Africa.. indicating that these teams were fortunate to participate in the last World Cup, which was held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia in the 2023 edition.
