Kuwait players celebrate on the podium after winning bronze in the inaugural Arab Challenge Cup.

AMMAN, Dec 6: Kuwait’s national volleyball team, Al-Azraq, clinched third place in the Arab Challenge Cup, which concluded the day before yesterday in Amman, Jordan.

Tunisia captured the championship, with Egypt finishing second after defeating Al-Azraq 3–0 in their final match (25–15, 25–19, 25–18). Jordan came in fourth, Bahrain fifth, and Palestine sixth.

Al-Azraq played five matches in total, winning against Bahrain and Palestine, while losing to Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan. Both Kuwait and Jordan finished with seven points, but Al-Azraq edged ahead due to a superior point differential.

Rashid Anbar, Al-Azraq’s standout performer, earned the Best Player award in the Outside Hitter position, highlighting his strong showing throughout the tournament.

This year marked the inaugural edition of the Arab Challenge Cup in Jordan, with organisers hoping it becomes an annual event featuring more Arab national teams. The competitive matches in this first edition are expected to contribute significantly to the development of the participating squads.

During the awards ceremony, Sheikh Ali bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, president of the Arab and Bahraini Volleyball Federations; Princess Aya bint Faisal, president of the Jordanian Volleyball Federation; Dr. Jaber Al-Murry, president of the Kuwaiti Volleyball Federation; and Ali Al-Kuwari, president of the West Asian Volleyball Federation, presented commemorative medals to the players of the top three teams and awarded the championship trophy to Tunisia’s captain.