Temi Kings
Qatar’s youth basketball stars are set to step onto the continental stage on Friday, August 14, 2026, when they take on Iran in their opening fixture of the FIBA U-18 Asia Cup at the Veer Savarkar Indoor Hall in Ahmedabad, India. Scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. Doha tip-off, the match marks the start of Group C action in a 16-nation tournament running through August 23.
The fixture presents an immediate litmus test for Qatar. Iran enters the competition making its 16th consecutive tournament appearance, boasting three continental titles—the most recent claimed on home soil in Tehran in 2016. In historical head-to-head encounters at the U-18 level, both nations share a win apiece: Qatar secured a 68–53 victory in the 1998 quarterfinals, while Iran prevailed 82–45 during their 2022 meeting.
Qatar earned its place among Asia's elite after claiming the silver medal at the Gulf U-18 Championship hosted in Doha. Preparations for the tournament concluded with an intensive training camp at Al Gharafa Club, focusing on physical conditioning, tactical execution, and squad cohesion ahead of their departure to India.
The squad features a 12-player roster consisting of Abdullah Yassin, Tamim Ashraf Abu Issa, Ziad Al-Bitar, Moaz Omar Mousa, Azzam Mohamed Yaken, Ziad Tamer Al-Johari, Mohamed Saeed Badri, Mahmoud Tamer Ibrahim, Amer Ibrahim Mousa, Owen Ikina, Youssef Walid Abdelqader, and Shahi Mohamed. The delegation is led by Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation, Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, with technical guidance provided by head coach Mounir Ben Ghalla, assistant Hashim Zidan, conditioning trainer Kenan, and medical supervisor Saif Al-Din Al-Hamandi.
Group C promises tight competition, with traditional powerhouses China meeting Sri Lanka in the other opening matchup at 8:00 a.m. Doha time. Following Friday’s opener, Qatar will clash with China on August 16 before closing out the group stage against Sri Lanka on August 18.
The stakes in Ahmedabad extend far beyond regional pride. Under the tournament format, group winners advance directly to the quarterfinals on August 21, while second- and third-placed teams must navigate a playoff round on August 20. Crucially, the four teams that reach the semifinals will secure direct qualification tickets to the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup 2027, scheduled for June 26 to July 4 in Pardubice, Czech Republic.