Bahrain Eye Top Spot in Arab Challenge Cup

Bahrain’s senior men’s volleyball team completed their final preparations today ahead of tomorrow’s opening serve of the inaugural Arab Challenge Cup, a newly launched regional tournament organised by the Arab Volleyball Association in cooperation with the Jordan Volleyball Federation.

Six teams were originally slated to compete, but a late withdrawal by Libya prompted organisers to conduct a revised draw, which was finalized yesterday. Bahrain will contest the event alongside Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Kuwait, and hosts Jordan, with all matches taking place at the Princess Saeeda Hall in Amman. The competition runs until December 6.

Bahrain will open their Arab Challenge Cup campaign against Palestine at 3pm tomorrow, marking the first of their four fixtures in the preliminary phase. After a rest day for all teams on Sunday, they return to action on Monday at 7pm to face Egypt, followed by a 7pm clash with Kuwait on Tuesday. Another rest day follows on Wednesday before Bahrain take on hosts Jordan at 5pm on December 5, the penultimate day of the tournament. The competition runs through December 6, with all matches being played at the Princess Saeeda Hall in Amman.

The nationals enter the competition in excellent form, coming off a bronze-medal performance at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh earlier this month. Head coach Arnaud Josserand has kept faith in the core of that successful squad, maintaining continuity in a group that has delivered one of the most successful years in Bahrain’s volleyball history.

The confirmed 14-player roster includes Naser Anan, Mohammed Anan, Ali Ebrahim, Mahmood Alafyah, Hassan Al Warqaa, Ayman Harwana, Abbas Al Khabbaz, Hussain Mansoor, Sayed Hashim Issa, Mahmoud Abdulwahed, Mohammed Abdulla, Sayed Mohammed Jawad, Hani Alawi, and Mahmood Abdulhussain.

Bahrain will look to become the first champions of the Arab Challenge Cup while extending a remarkable streak of results, including bronze at the Islamic Solidarity Games, silver in the West Asia Championship, a historic AVC Nations Cup gold which was the kingdom’s first AVC title, and last year’s Arab Men’s Championship crown.