BEACH SOCCER – Bahrain's final 14-player squad has been named for the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup 2025.
The tournament is set to be played in Pattaya, Thailand, kicking off tomorrow and continuing until March 30.
Bahrain are one of 16 national teams competing in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) event. They are in Group D for the tournament’s preliminary round along with Oman, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Group A features hosts Thailand, Kuwait, Lebanon, and India; Group B is composed of Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq; and Group C comprises defending champions Iran, the UAE, Afghanistan, and Indonesia.
The kingdom’s squad includes Mohammed Darwish, Hussain Al Dosari, Hussain Marhoon, Ahmed Abdulrasool, Sayed Mohammed Hameed, Mohammed Jaafar, Issa Ghalib, Ahmed Al Dosari, Ali Hassanain, Issa Al Dosari, Hamed Abdulla, Ahmed Hassan, Samwal Abdulla, and Akbar Saeed.
Bahrain open their campaign on Friday against Malaysia at 4.30pm. They then return to action on Sunday against Vietnam at 1pm, before playing their final group clash on Tuesday next week at 4.30pm. All times are Bahrain.
Following the preliminaries, the top two teams from each group go on to the last eight, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday next week. The semis will then take place on March 29, after which the gold and bronze medal games will be held on March 30.
This year’s AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup also acts as a continental qualifying tournament for the 2025 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup, to be held in Seychelles. The top three teams book their tickets to the international showcase, which is scheduled for May 1 to 11.
Bahrain are making their 10th appearance in the tournament. The nationals clinched the inaugural edition’s title in 2006 but have yet to repeat that feat. The Bahrainis also stepped onto the podium in 2009 when they claimed the silver medals after losing in the final to gold-medallists Japan.
Both years, the nationals qualified for the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup, which have been their only two appearances.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
Top stories for today:
Green light for proposal to fully Bahrainise some professions
Proposal to instal smart water meters approved
Ghabga brings people of different faiths together
&uuid=(email))