Doha hosts official draw ceremony for 4th GCC Games team sports competitions

GCC Games 2026

Through modern virtual communication technology, the Organizing Committee of 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026 held Thursday, 16 April 2026 the official draw ceremony for team sports competitions. Taking place at Lusail Hall on the premises of Qatar Olympic Committee headquarters, it was a scene with heads of delegations from GCC countries meeting and media interest, indicating how serious and significant the occasion is.

Mohammed Issa Al-Fadala, Head of the Sports Committee, greeted attendees and members of the media at the start of the ceremony, stating that this meeting is a continuation of ongoing preparations and coordination efforts to ensure that competitions are presented in accordance with the highest technical and organizational levels.

He stressed this move reflects ongoing coordination between the Organizing Committee and GCC Olympic Committees, further enhancing readiness and ensuring that the upcoming edition of Games is an exceptional event. Sport, he said, is still a great bridge that brings together the GCC nations around coalescing values and the spirit of brotherhood and fair play. The draw, he said, would no doubt lead to exciting and competitive matches during the Games slated in Doha on May 11-22, 2026.

Mr. Hamad Misfer Al Nuaimi, Handball Competition Manager conducted the handball draw in line with international regulations and in first stage includes the participation of Qatar (host Nation), Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait Oman and Saudi Arabia. The volleyball draw was also conducted in line with international regulations and witnessed the participation of all six GCC national teams, as done by Mr. Yousef Kano, Volleyball Competition Manager, and former players Saeed Al Hatmi & Ali Ishaq.

Elite athletes from the GCC countries will be seen in action competing in 19 sports during the course of the Games which this year is taking place from May 11 to 22, including handball, table tennis, athletics, squash and padel,fencing,boxing,taekwondo,karate swimming, billiards and snooker alongside basketball (5x5) & (3x3), shooting, archery volleyball and equestrian.

These competitions will be staged at 10 venues, including Aspire Dome, the Qatar Sports Club, Khalifa International Tennis, Squash and Badminton Complex Sir where Lusail Shooting Range Al Gharafa Sports Club and other state-of-the-art sports centers.

The First edition of the GCC Games took place from October 11 to 22 in Manama, Bahrain with six nations and about (1500) athletes competing in eleven sports where Qatar ranked third with a total of (7) gold medals along with (11) silver medals followed by(2) bronze medal. In the second edition held between 12 and 26 October 2015 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, five nations participated with roughly 1,500 athletes competing over 15 sports, and Qatar managed to take third place again on a tally of prizes which included more gold (21), silver (22) and bronze (16)—totaling 59 medals. The third edition took place in Kuwait City, Kuwait from May 16 to 31, 2022.[10] Six countries and more than 1,500 athletes competed across 16 sports,[4] with Qatar coming in fifth place accumulating a total of 52 medals (16 gold, 21 silver and 15 bronze).