VOLLEYBALL – Bahrain champions Muharraq are set to fly the kingdom’s flag in the 44th Arab Club Men’s Volleyball Championship, which gets underway tomorrow in Tunisia.
The kingdom’s representatives are one of 12 leading volleyball teams from across the region who are set to compete in the tournament.
Muharraq have been drawn in Group B for the preliminary round alongside Police SC from Qatar, Al Ittihad SCSC Tripoli from Libya, Majees SC of Oman, Palestinian Military Club from Palestine, and home side Etoile Sportive du Sahel.
Group A features Al Seeb from Oman, Northern Refineries Sport Club from Iraq, Tadjenanet from Algeria, Asswehly SC from Libya, Qatar SC from Qatar, and a second side from the hosts in Esperance Sportive de Tunis.
The Bahrainis are scheduled to depart for Tunis today ahead of their first game on Thursday.
Muharraq will be taking on Majees in their opening clash, scheduled for a 2pm start. They then face off with Al Ittihad SCSC Tripoli the following day at the same time, before playing their third assignment on Saturday against Etoile Sportive du Sahel at 3pm.
Muharraq play Police SC in their penultimate fixture on Sunday at 3pm, before completing their schedule in this stage against Palestinian Military Club on Monday at 5pm, which will be their fifth contest in as many days. All times are Bahrain.
Muharraq have been preparing for the Arab Volleyball Association (AVA) tournament locally under the supervision of their head coach Yaseen Al Meel.
They have also been competing in the 2025-26 season of the Isa Bin Rashid Bahrain Volleyball League, where they are looking to defend their title.
Muharraq have a talented roster of Bahraini players, many of whom are part of the kingdom’s senior men’s volleyball national team, including Naser Anan, Mahmood Alafyah, Sayed Hashem Issa, Mohammed Abdulla, Mohammed Omar, and Abbas Al Khabbaz; while they are supported by their other local talents such as Majeed Mohammed, Hussain Ehsan, Abbas Ehsan, and Ali Alsairafi, among others.
Swedish professional Jacob Link boosts the Muharraq squad as their professional player.
Muharraq are the lone Bahraini side competing in this year’s AVA event.
They will be looking to improve on the ninth-place classification achieved by Dar Kulaib in the competition’s previous edition, held last year in Doha, Qatar.
Dar Kulaib were one of 15 teams from nine Arab countries in that tournament, which was eventually won by Zamalek from Egypt, who defeated their countrymen from Al Ahly in the final.
Both the gold and silver-medallists are not competing this year.
Oman’s Seeb were the bronze medal winners, while Qatar’s Police SC took fourth place then.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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