Crown Prince’s Cup Kicks Into Knockout Gear

The 2025–26 His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s Cup gets underway today as the competition moves into its knockout stage at the Isa Bin Rashid Volleyball Arena.

Two quarter-final places are on the line this evening, with Muharraq facing Al Tadhamun at 7pm, followed by Al Najma taking on Al Ahli at 8:30pm in a double-header expected to set the tone for the last eight.

The tournament features all 14 teams under the Bahrain Volleyball Association, with defending league champions Dar Kulaib and reigning Crown Prince’s Cup holders Muharraq already seeded into the quarter-finals.

Muharraq begin their title defence against an in-form Tadhamun side, who impressed in the previous round with a straight-sets win over Busaiteen (25–21, 25–17, 25–18). The champions, who completed a domestic double last season, will be aiming to maintain their dominance as they target another deep cup run.

The winner of that tie will meet either Al Ahli or Al Najma in the semi-finals, a clash that pits two sides in strong early-season form.

Al Ahli advanced with a convincing 3–0 victory over Al Shabab (25–16, 25–15, 25–20), while Al Najma were equally efficient in their win over Al Dair (25–18, 25–19, 25–17). Their meeting tonight stands out as one of the most evenly balanced ties of the round.

Elsewhere in the draw, Dar Kulaib face A’ali, while Bani Jamra take on Nabih Saleh, completing the quarter-final lineup.

The winners of those ties will meet in the other semi-final, with all remaining matches played on a straight knockout basis as the competition intensifies. The semi-finals are scheduled for Wednesday, with the final set for Saturday.