Qatar set to host FIBA U18 Asia Cup Gulf qualifiers

Qatar will host the FIBA U18 Asia Cup Gulf Qualifying Tournament from 25–30 July, following the postponement of the original schedule from 17–22 July.

The tournament serves as the Gulf region’s official qualification pathway to the FIBA U18 Asia Cup, which will be held in India in August. Five teams—Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—will compete in a round-robin format, with the top three teams earning direct qualification for the continental championship.

Opening Fixtures

The competition begins on 25 July with two opening matches:

• Kuwait vs Oman

• Saudi Arabia vs Bahrain

Qatar's Match Schedule

As the host nation, Qatar will begin its campaign on 26 July against Saudi Arabia. The team will then face:

27 July: Qatar vs Kuwait
29 July: Qatar vs Oman
30 July: Qatar vs Bahrain

Road to the 2027 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup

Qualification carries added significance, as the FIBA U18 Asia Cup also serves as Asia’s final qualifying event for the 2027 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, which will take place in the Czech Republic. The top four teams at the Asia Cup will secure spots in the global tournament.

Qatar's Growing Role in International Basketball

This is not the first time Qatar has hosted a major FIBA youth competition. Doha previously welcomed the:

2014 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship
2022 FIBA U16 Asian Championship
2023 FIBA U16 Asian Championship

The Gulf qualifiers also form part of Qatar’s preparations for hosting the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will be the first edition of the tournament held in the Middle East.

Qatar U18 Squad

The Qatar squad for the tournament includes:

Tamim Ashraf Abu Issa
Meshaal Khalid Al Mughni
Moaz Omar Mousa
Azzam Mohammed Yaken
Ziyad Tamer Al Johari
Mohammed Saeed Badri
Mahmoud Tamer Ibrahim
Amer Ibrahim Mousa
Owen Ikina
Youssef Walid Abdelqader
Shahi Mohammed