Doha: The Qatari national volleyball team is intensifying its daily training sessions at the Federation Hall as they prepare for the upcoming World Championship, set to take place in the Philippines from September 12 to 28. This marks the team's second historic appearance at the prestigious event.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Qatari team recently engaged in two friendly matches against Egypt on August 25 and 26, both of which ended in a 2-2 draw. The teams mutually agreed not to pursue a fifth tiebreaker, opting instead to limit each match to four sets. This decision allowed for broader player participation and the opportunity to test various technical strategies.
In the initial match, Egypt secured the first two sets with scores of 26-24 and 25-15. However, Qatar rallied, clinching the third and fourth sets with a score of 25-18. The second match displayed a dynamic exchange of dominance; Egypt won the first set 25-14, Qatar leveled with a 25-22 victory in the second, Egypt regained the lead with a 25-15 win in the third set, and Qatar equalized again with a 25-21 win in the fourth set.
The Qatari team plans to continue its rigorous training schedule by playing two matches against Iran on August 31 and September 2. They will then conclude their training camp with three matches against Ukraine on September 4, 6, and 7, before departing for Manila, the host city of the tournament.
Placed in Group B, Qatar will face formidable opponents including world number one and defending champion Poland, the Netherlands, and Romania. The group is considered one of the most challenging in the tournament. Qatar's campaign will commence against the Netherlands on September 13, followed by a match against Poland on September 15, and concluding the first round against Romania on September 17.
This appearance follows Qatar's debut in the 2022 World Cup finals held in Poland and Slovenia. The team aims to build on its experience and enhance its performance against top-tier global teams, especially as the 2025 edition is set to expand to 32 teams from the 24 that participated since 1998.