The eyes of Qatar and the wider Asian sporting community will turn to Nagoya Friday as Mohammed Saadon al-Kuwari and Reem al-Sharshani carry the Qatari flag at the opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
The opening ceremony will be held at Mizuho Park Stadium in Nagoya from 6pm local time (12 noon Doha time).
For al-Kuwari, captain of Qatar's padel team, and shooter al-Sharshani, being chosen as flagbearers is both an honour and a responsibility. Al-Kuwari said he was proud to have been selected for the role and honoured to represent Qatar and the national padel team at the Games.
The Aichi-Nagoya Games is the continent's biggest multi-sport event bringing together more than 11,000 athletes from 45 Asian nations and regions. The ceremony will feature artistic and cultural performances highlighting the identity of Aichi and Nagoya, Japanese culture and the diversity of the Asian continent. The Games will run until October 4, with 469 events across 43 sports and 71 disciplines. Athletes will compete for 1,407 medals during the 16-day event.
Japan is hosting the Asian Games for the third time. Tokyo hosted the 1958 edition before Hiroshima staged the Games in 1994. The event returns to Japan after a 32-year gap, with Aichi and Nagoya serving as hosts.
Qatar has sent a 427-member delegation to the Games, including 243 athletes - 184 men and 59 women. Qatari athletes will compete in 26 sports and 32 disciplines under 18 sports federations.
The Qatar team will be represented in athletics, football, basketball, 3x3 basketball, handball, volleyball, beach volleyball, squash, padel, taekwondo, judo, artistic gymnastics, golf, shooting, swimming, jiu-jitsu, esports, sailing, equestrian, karate, fencing, archery, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting and table tennis.
Qatar bow out in football after defeat to Saudi
Qatar's U-23 football team bowed out of the Asian Games after a 2-0 defeat by Saudi Arabia in their second Group D match.
The result was Qatar's second successive loss following a 4-1 defeat by South Korea in their opening game. Qatar started brightly against Saudi Arabia and controlled much of the opening 15 minutes, but could not turn its possession into clear scoring opportunities.
Mohammed Ali came close to creating an opening in the 18th minute when his cross was cleared for a corner. Mohamed Khaled then produced a fine run through midfield before finding Mohammed Ali with a long pass, but the Saudi defence dealt with the danger.
Khaled was again involved in the 24th minute when he cut in from the left and sent a cross into the area, only for the Saudi defence to clear.
Qatar won a free-kick near the Saudi penalty area a minute later after Bassam Adel was brought down. Qais al-Rawi took the free-kick directly, but his effort went wide. Saudi Arabia broke the deadlock in the 38th minute when Mohammed Barnawi headed home from a corner.
Qatar went into the break 1-0 down and faced a tougher task after Saudi Arabia doubled its lead shortly after the restart. Iyad Hawsawi headed home from a set-piece in the 47th minute.
Qatar pushed forward in search of a way back into the game but could not find a breakthrough, as Saudi Arabia held on to secure the three points and progress to the quarter-finals alongside South Korea.
Qatar U-23 coach Jose Angel said his side had competed well but failed to make the most of its opportunities. "At times during the match, we were the better side and had scoring opportunities, but the game was ultimately decided by set-pieces," the Spanish coach said at the post-match press conference.
"We must accept the loss and congratulate our opponent, especially since we played a good match and competed fiercely; however, we lacked decisiveness in front of goal when opportunities arose."
Looking ahead, Jose Angel said the experience would be useful for the team's development. "Looking ahead to the U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for June and the future, I believe this match will be a valuable experience from which we will learn a great deal. Naturally, we are deeply saddened by the defeat, particularly given the competitive level we displayed."
Women’s volleyball team crash out
Qatar's women's volleyball team ended its Asian Games campaign with a straight-sets defeat by Hong Kong. Hong Kong won 25-9, 25-8, 25-12 in the third and final round of the competition.
Women’s 3x3 team arrive in Japan
Qatar's women's 3x3 basketball team has arrived in Japan ahead of the Asian Games, with the players looking to make a strong start to their campaign.
The competition begins on September 22, when Qatar will face Sri Lanka before taking on China.
The participation of both the men's and women's teams reflects the Qatar Basketball Federation's efforts to strengthen the country's presence on the Asian stage and provide its players with valuable experience against leading continental sides.
