Players gear up for their opener against Oman.

MANAMA, July 17: Kuwait’s national volleyball team will begin its campaign in the inaugural West Asia Championship on Saturday, with a Group B match against Oman at 3:00 pm. The tournament is being held at Isa bin Rashid Hall in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

Also in Group B, Saudi Arabia will face Qatar at 5:00 pm. The championship opens earlier at 1:00 pm with a Group A clash between the UAE and Jordan, followed by hosts Bahrain taking on Lebanon at 7:00 pm.

Kuwait recently concluded its overseas training camp in Tunisia, where it played four friendly matches — twice against Libya, once against Tunisia’s youth team, and once against Algeria — winning two and losing two.

Led by Argentine head coach Julián Álvarez and assistant coach Zaid Al-Kazemi, the Kuwaiti team is aiming to deliver strong performances throughout the tournament. However, their opener against Oman will be a tough test, as the Omani side is currently in a rebuilding phase, blending youthful talent with seasoned veterans.

Kuwait’s 14-man roster includes: Abdulaziz Najm, Yousef Mandeel, Fahad Saad, Abdulnasser Al-Enezi, Abdullah Al-Enezi, Abdulrahman Al-Mutawa, Saud Al-Duwaisan, Ahmed Al-Munais, Rashid Anbar, Athbi Malik, Fares Suleiman, Talal Abdulrazzaq, Ibrahim Mandeel, and Abdulrahman Mohammed.

This tournament carries significant weight, as it is held under the authority of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), and its results will count toward the global rankings. Moreover, as the first-ever edition of the West Asia Championship, all participating teams are eager to capture the historic title and become the first name engraved in the competition’s records.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff