FIP World Cup 2026: Qatar Beat UAE for First Victory

Qatar recorded their first victory at the FIP World Cup 2026 by defeating the UAE 2-1 in a placement tie for positions 13 to 16.

The Qatari team’s victory followed an outstanding technical performance and the high spirit displayed by Al Adaam’s players, who secured the Gulf-Asian contest and continued their progress in the tournament’s overall standings.

Qatar recovered from an opening-match defeat for Khalid Saadoun and Issa Shanan, who lost 7-6, 6-1 to the UAE pair of Abdulla Alabdulla and Sergio Icardo, by winning the next two matches. The result gave Qatar their first historic victory at the padel World Cup and secured 13th place globally.

Rashed Nawaf and Mashari Nawaf earned a commanding 6-1, 6-0 victory over Abdulrahman Al Janahi and Rashed Walid Kamal in the second match, levelling the tie at 1-1. Al Adaam then sealed the contest in the deciding third match as Mohammed Saadoun and Hassan Wali defeated Majed Aljanahi and Fares Aljanahi 6-2, 7-5.

The FIP World Cup 2026, successfully hosted by the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, will conclude on Saturday with 32 men’s and women’s national teams taking part.

Tareq Zainal, FIP World Cup Tournament Director and Secretary-General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation, expressed his happiness with the victory and satisfaction with the improved standard displayed by Al Adaam’s players throughout the tournament. He said winning individual matches against highly ranked teams such as Chile and Germany represented a significant leap compared with previous editions.

He explained that Qatar’s participation in the World Cup followed the team’s recent continental successes, particularly its gold medal in the padel competition at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. The achievement strengthens the federation’s ambitions to prepare a young generation capable of competing strongly ahead of the next FIP World Cup in 2028, which Doha will also host.

Qatar began their campaign in Group C alongside Portugal, Chile and Germany, playing three challenging group-stage ties. The team lost 3-0 to Portugal, narrowly fell 2-1 to Chile and suffered another 2-1 defeat against Germany, despite Rashed Nawaf and Mashari Nawaf winning the second match by two sets to one, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

After finishing fourth in their group, Qatar moved into the placement matches for positions nine to 16. They lost 2-0 to France before defeating the UAE.

Qatar’s hosting of the FIP World Cup 2026 forms part of its strategy to strengthen its position as a global sporting destination and to develop and promote padel regionally and internationally. Doha will also host the next edition of the World Cup in 2028.

Source: QNA

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