Latest news with #Al-Qadsiya
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Qadsiya eyes Iraqi star Ahmed as Kuwaiti Clubs ramp up transfers
KUWAIT CITY, July 22: Al-Qadsiya is actively pursuing Iraqi star Haroun Ahmed as part of its plans to strengthen the squad ahead of the upcoming season. According to Iraqi media reports, the club has entered serious negotiations with the 29-year-old Dohuk SC standout to bring him into the Kuwaiti Premier League. Haroun, who excels in both midfield and attacking roles, delivered a standout campaign in the recent Gulf Champions League. He was named the tournament's Best Player after guiding Dohuk to its first-ever title. He also helped his team win the Iraq Cup for the first time in club history. Al- Al-Qadsiya's Tunisian head coach, Nabil Maaloul, is seeking to finalize key signings before the team departs for its training camp in Turkey in mid-August, as preparations intensify for the Zain Premier League season, which begins on September 12. The club currently features Moroccan Mehdi Berrahma and Libyan Mohamed Soula. The future of fellow Moroccan Ismail Khafi remains uncertain, with his contract set to expire next June. Kuwait Club has parted ways with Moroccan defender Amin Abu Al-Fath, who recently completed a move to Wydad Casablanca. The club expressed gratitude for his contributions, which helped secure multiple titles during his time with the team. Abu Al-Fath becomes the second departure this off-season following the exit of his compatriot Yahya Jabrane. In turn, Kuwait Club has bolstered its ranks with the signing of English midfielder of Egyptian origin Sam Morsy. The club also renewed contracts for key foreign players: Bahrain's Mohammed Marhoon, Congo's Arsène 'Malik' Zola, and Tunisia's Yassine Khenissi. Syrian defender Abdullah Al-Shami is back in Kuwaiti football, having agreed to join Yarmouk SC for the new season. Al-Shami previously played for Al-Nasr and Al-Fahaheel and brings with him experience from regional stints with Al-Salt (Jordan), Al-Ahly and Al-Masry SC (Egypt), and Al-Tali'aa (Syria). He joins a growing list of foreign professionals at Yarmouk under national coach Zaher Al-Adwani, including Tunisian Hazem Haj Hassan, Malian Moriba Dialle, Ghanaian Robin Akwa, Congolese Lusoko, and former Al-Salmiya player Othman Al-Dosari. Al-Nasr Club has announced its preseason preparations will begin this Friday under the guidance of Tunisian head coach Jamil Belkacem. The team will train locally until early August before departing for a training camp in Turkey, where they are scheduled to play four friendly matches. Meanwhile, the club is reviewing profiles of several foreign players as it looks to finalize the signing of a fifth professional, focusing on strengthening the attacking line. Al-Nasr has already renewed contracts with four key players: Tunisians Hossam El-Habasi and Hekal El-Sheikhawi, Libyan Moatasem El-Lafi, and Serbian forward Nemanja Kujic.
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Bader Al-Mutawa returns to Al-Qadsiya training
KUWAIT CITY, July 20: Al-Salmiya is on the verge of completing contracts with several foreign players, most notably Syrian international Mahmoud Al-Aswad, with negotiations between both sides reaching advanced stages. Al-Aswad, an attacking midfielder and forward, previously represented Zakho in Iraq and Al-Karamah in Syria, having joined the senior squad at just 16 years old. He has played for various Syrian national teams since 2019, making his senior debut in 2022. Earlier, Al-Salmiya finalized the signing of Jordanian Hussam Abu Dhahab, a former player for Al-Faisaly who has represented Jordan internationally. Head coach Nasser Al-Shatti is seeking to complete additional deals to strengthen the squad ahead of the new season. The club has already renewed the contracts of key players, including Tunisian Imad Louati, Brazilian Alex Lima, and Libyan Al-Sanousi Al-Hadi. Preseason training will officially begin next Saturday, followed by an external training camp in Turkey starting August 15, in preparation for the start of the Zain Premier League on September 12. Al-Qadsiya captain Bader Al-Mutawa rejoined his team during a training session held at the late Farouk Ibrahim Stadium. Al-Mutawa had missed the start of preseason, which began last Wednesday, due to personal reasons. Also returning to action was goalkeeper Hamid Al-Qallaf, who signed with the club after a two-year absence from competitive football. Moroccan forward Ismail Khafi, despite speculation surrounding his future, also participated in training. Though there had been talk of contract termination, he received the green light from head coach Nabil Maaloul and is now likely to remain with the team through the upcoming season. French-Guinean player Hassame Fadiga has joined Al-Arabi's training camp, becoming the club's fourth foreign signing. He joins Ugandan Kenneth Semakula and Nigerians Ayano Iwala and Christopher John. The club still has one foreign player slot available, with Jordanian international Ali Alwan emerging as a leading candidate to fill that position. In domestic transfers, Al-Arabi also strengthened its lineup by signing Aziz Nassari, who has previous experience with Al-Qadsiya and Al-Tadamon. The team will continue local training until next Thursday before heading to the UAE for an external training camp, which will include three friendly matches. Following that, Al-Arabi will travel to the Maldives, where they will face Maziya Sports in a crucial AFC Challenge League play-off on August 12, with the winner advancing to the group stage.
Arab Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Qadsiya begins new era with Maaloul at the helm
KUWAIT CITY, July 15: Al-Qadsiya will kick off its preseason training this evening under the leadership of Tunisian coach Nabil Maaloul, as the team begins preparations for the 2025–2026 Zain Premier League season, set to begin on September 12. Maaloul and his technical staff arrived in Kuwait to officially assume their duties. Upon arrival, the experienced coach expressed his excitement about taking charge. 'I'm happy to be in Kuwait,' Maaloul said. 'I hope this will be a special season for Al-Qadsiya Club, and that we can bring joy to the fans. Our preparations officially begin today.' One of Maaloul's immediate tasks is finalizing the roster of foreign players. This follows the termination of contracts for Moroccan Ismail Khafi, Nigerian Daniel Jibola, and Algerian Hussein Dhiri. Decisions are still pending regarding the futures of Libyan Mohamed Soula and Moroccan Mehdi Berrahma. Recent media reports have linked Al-Qadsiya with several potential signings, including Tunisian striker Haithem Jouini and Algerian duo Ayoub Abdellaoui and Ghilas Kenaoui. Al-Qadsiya has agreed to release player Aziz Nasari, who has opted to continue his career with Al-Tadamon. Nasari had spent last season on loan at the club. Kuwait Club has announced that its first training session for the upcoming season will be held on July 24. The team will aim to defend its domestic treble, having won the Zain Premier League, the Crown Prince Cup, and the Super Cup last season. Kuwait Club also reached the Amir Cup final, which was originally scheduled for June 16 but postponed due to regional circumstances. Fahaheel has continued to reinforce its squad with the addition of Algerian striker Zakaria Benchaâ from CS Constantine. Benchaâ becomes the team's fourth foreign player, joining the previously signed Brazilian trio Brendon Lucas, Vitor da Silva, and Carlos. Algerian forward Ihab Boulahssini has decided to postpone choosing his next club after receiving offers from both Al-Arabi and the National Bank of Egypt. The delay comes amid additional interest from three Algerian clubs, making his final decision uncertain for now.
Arab Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait's homegrown coaches lead handball clubs to new heights
KUWAIT CITY, July 14: The 2024–2025 handball season marked a notable rise in the presence and performance of Kuwaiti national coaches across local and international competitions. Their growing impact reflects not only a positive shift in coaching development but also the success of homegrown talent in achieving competitive and honorable results. Among the standout figures this season is Hussein Habib, head coach of Burgan's first-handball team. Taking over from Algerian coach Said Hijazi at the beginning of the season, Habib made an immediate impact, strengthening team cohesion and dramatically improving performance. Under his leadership, Burgan achieved a historic runner-up finish in the Premier League, securing a spot in the upcoming Asian Club Championship for the first time in the club's history. Habib's close relationship with the players and the full backing of the club's management were key factors in this breakthrough. Habib's coaching journey includes a successful stint with Al-Arabi in 2014, where he led the team to promotion to the Premier League. He later served as assistant coach at Al-Qadsiya in 2019, before coaching Sulaibikhat in 2022. In 2023, he returned to Al-Qadsiya as head coach, leading them in the AFC Club Championship, and then joined Burgan in 2024. He recently renewed his contract with Burgan for another season. Reflecting on the season, Habib said: 'Our target was to reach the podium and qualify for the Asian Club Championship. With the support of the management and dedication from the players and staff, we achieved that goal.' He credited the signings of Yasuhira and Stipe Mandalinich for playing a crucial role in securing second place five rounds before the end of the league. Habib outlined several objectives, including maximizing the participation of local players in league matches, developing talent for the national team, and competing in the Asian Cup. He highlighted the season's major positives, such as: A historic runner-up finish Won every team except Kuwait Club A fast-paced attacking style A season completed without major injuries Among the challenges, he noted: A lack of depth at the right-back position A mental dip after securing second place Physical fatigue and underperformance in the Federation Cup are due to the absence of strong alternatives. Another national coach who found success this season is Yaqoub Al-Moussawi, head coach of Al-Salmiya's handball team. Under his leadership, the Sky Blues achieved: Runner-up at the 39th Arab Club Championship Third place in the Super Cup Third place in the 2023–2024 Federation Cup Third place in the 2024–2025 Cup Secured Premier League status for next season Al-Moussawi began his coaching career as an assistant with Al-Salmiya in 2019–2020, before taking over as head coach in the 2022–2023 season, where he immediately led the team to a runner-up finish in the Cup. He also voiced concern about the decision to allow three professional players per team, criticizing the rule as unbalanced given the lack of financial rewards in the league and the limited resources of clubs to attract multiple foreign players. Also earning praise is Waleed Salmeen, who led Sulaibikhat to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, ensuring their participation in the top tier next season. His steady guidance helped the team retain its league status despite stiff competition. The upcoming season will feature eight teams, including league champions Al-Qadsiya and newly promoted sides from the First Division, promising an even more competitive landscape for Kuwait handball.
Arab Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Zayed signs extension as Kuwait Club sets sights on new season
KUWAIT CITY, July 14: Kuwait Club has officially renewed the contract of midfielder Faisal Zayed for one more season as part of its ongoing preparations for the 2025–2026 sports season. Zayed, who joined Kuwait Club from Al-Jahra seven seasons ago, has become a key figure in the team's midfield. His renewal adds to a list of other retained talents, including Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Mohammed Fareeh, Reda Hani, Saud Al-Hoshan, Mohsen Falah, and Mohammed Al-Rashed. The club has also strengthened its squad by re-signing veteran goalkeeper Khaled Al-Rashidi, who previously played for Al-Qadsiya, Al-Arabi, and Al-Salmiya and recently represented the national team. Additionally, head coach Nebojsa Jovovic of Montenegro has renewed his contract for a second consecutive season. Fresh off a dominant season, the 'Whites' are aiming to maintain their winning momentum. Last year, Kuwait Club clinched the Zain Premier League, Crown Prince Cup, and the Super Cup, while also reaching the final of His Highness the Amir Cup, which was postponed from its scheduled date of June 16 due to regional circumstances. Tunisian coach Nabil Maaloul is expected to arrive in Kuwait today to lead Qadsiya in its preparations for the upcoming season. The team is scheduled to hold its first training session tomorrow, with the new Zain Premier League campaign kicking off on September 12. The club's technical and administrative staff is working swiftly to complete their foreign player roster. Contracts with Moroccan Ismail Khafi, Nigerian Daniel Gibola, and Algerian Hussein Dhiri have been terminated, while the status of Libyan Mohamed Soula and Moroccan Mehdi Berrahma remains unresolved. Newly promoted Al-Shabab continues to enhance its squad with local talent. The club has signed former Kuwait Club midfielder Hussein Al-Harbi, in addition to earlier acquisitions including goalkeeper Saud Al-Qanaei and players Ahmed Ghazi, Mohammed Khalil, Yaqoub Al-Tararwah, Shaheen Al-Khamis, and Dhahi Al-Shammari. Relegated side Khaitan has made significant moves in the transfer market by signing five foreign players—two from Tunisia, two from Brazil, and one from Ghana—in preparation for the First Division, which begins on September 14. Training will commence the day after tomorrow at Nasser Al-Osaimi Stadium, under the guidance of Tunisian coach Hatem Al-Mouddeb. The team will then head to Cairo, Egypt, by August 15 for a training camp featuring four friendly matches.
