The Qatar Basketball Federation held a press conference today, Thursday, to announce the Doha International Basketball Championship, which will take place from September 25 to 30 at the Al Gharafa Club hall, organized by Doha Active Sports Company under the supervision of the Qatar Basketball Federation.
Eight elite clubs representing seven countries will participate, including Zamalek from Egypt, Al-Fath Rabati from Morocco, Al-Hikma Beirut, and Beirut First from Lebanon, Al-Arabi from Kuwait, Al-Ahli from Libya, and Dijlah University from Iraq. The tournament also includes the Meralco Bolts team from the Philippine league.
During the press conference, attended by a large number of journalists and media representatives, the Secretary-General of the Qatar Basketball Federation, Mr. Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, expressed his wishes for the participating teams' success and considered the Doha International Championship an anticipated event in basketball in the region. He expressed hope for its expansion to include national and women's championships as well. Al-Kuwari emphasized the importance of the return of professional Filipino teams to the region through this tournament, reflecting international confidence in Qatari sports.
The Executive Director of the organizing committee, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Dosouki, stated that the championship is part of the significant effort made by the Qatar Basketball Federation to promote and elevate the game, especially with Qatar chosen to host the upcoming World Cup in basketball in 2027. He revealed the criteria for selecting participating teams, focusing on clubs with large fan bases among the communities residing in Doha.
The General Coordinator of the championship, Mr. Saif Nasser Al-Dosari, announced the tournament's format, with Group A consisting of Al-Hikma, Al-Fath, Beirut First, and Dijlah, while Group B includes Zamalek, Meralco Bolts, Al-Arabi, and Al-Ahli. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the winners moving on to the final match. The teams in the third and fourth places in each group will play two matches to determine their rankings. According to the tournament's regulations, each participating team can register four foreign players on their main roster, with three allowed to participate in each match (two on the court).
Samir Saada, the managing partner of Doha Active Sports and tournament operations manager, highlighted the significant public attendance that the Doha International Championship achieved last year. He announced ticket sales on the Qtickets website, starting today from a price of 45 Qatari Riyals. There will also be entertainment programs and prizes for spectators, making attendance at the matches enjoyable, comparable to what is experienced in global arenas.
Additionally, an agreement was revealed between Doha Active Sports, the organizing entity of the championship, and the Qatar Cancer Center, wherein 3 Qatari Riyals from the sale of each ticket will be donated to support the center, aimed at raising awareness and fulfilling the community responsibility that the company is keen to uphold. The opening match of the tournament will feature the defending champion Al-Hikma Beirut against the Beirut team at 6:30 PM on Monday, September 25.
