Bahrain Set for GCC Volleyball Test

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

The 4th GCC Games will take place from May 11 to 22, bringing together the six Gulf nations across 19 sports. Among the competitions, the men’s volleyball tournament stands out as one of the most competitive, featuring a round-robin format where every match could shape the medal standings.

Bahrain enters the tournament once again as one of the leading contenders. They finished runners-up in the previous edition in Kuwait City in 2022, behind Qatar, with Oman taking bronze. Their record across the history of the Games further underlines their pedigree: Bahrain won gold in the inaugural 2011 edition on home soil, and repeated the feat in 2015 in Dammam. That consistency keeps them firmly in the title conversation heading into this year.

However, this campaign marks a period of transition. Montenegrin coach Ivan Joksimovic takes charge for his first major tournament, replacing French coach Arnaud Josserand, who guided Bahrain through one of its most successful modern eras. Under Josserand, Bahrain’s rise included continental and regional success, such as gold at the 2025 AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup, bronze at the Islamic Solidarity Games, and the 2024 Arab Men’s Championship title. The key question is whether Joksimovic can maintain that momentum and make his mark, having recently led Dar Kulaib to an unbeaten title in the Isa bin Rashid Bahrain Volleyball League.

He has selected a 17-player roster drawn from six of Bahrain’s leading clubs. The setters are Ali Habib and Mahmood Abdulwahid, while the outside hitters and opposites include Ali Ibrahim, Mohammed Al Khabbaz, Hussain Mansoor, Hassan Al Shakhouri, and Sayed Hashim Isa.

In the middle, Bahrain rely on Hassan Ali Al Warqaa, Abbas Abdullah Sultan, Mahmood Al Affia, and Ahmed Sadiq, with Ayman Haroona named as libero. The remaining squad members — Hussain Abdullah Sultan, Hani Al Alawi, Mahmood Abdulhussain, Mohammed Jassim, and Abdullah Mohammed Jaafar — provide additional depth and rotation options.

Bahrain begin their campaign on 16 May against Oman, followed immediately by a clash with the United Arab Emirates on 17 May. They then face Kuwait on 19 May, hosts Qatar on May 20, and Saudi Arabia on May 22.

Beyond the GCC Games, expectations remain high. As reigning champions of the 2025 AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup, Bahrain will soon shift their attention to the 2026 edition of the tournament in Ahmedabad, India, which begins on 20 June. For now, however, the focus is firmly on the immediate challenges: adapting quickly to a new coaching philosophy, managing a demanding schedule, and reaffirming their status as one of the Gulf’s most consistent volleyball powers.

Elsewhere at the Games, Bahrain’s representation extends beyond volleyball, with the Kingdom also competing in handball and 3x3 basketball. The wider programme features 19 sports in total at the 2026 GCC Games, spanning disciplines such as athletics, swimming, karate, archery, and others.