Al-Qadsiya begins its journey to defend the volleyball title.

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 14: In today's opening round of the Federation Volleyball Championship, defending champion Al-Qadsiya will face Al-Shabab at 5:00 pm, followed by Kazma taking on Yarmouk at 7:00 pm. Both matches will be held at the Federation Hall within the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Indoor Halls Complex.

This season, nine clubs are participating in a single-round league format: Kuwait Club, Al-Qadsiya, Al-Arabi, Kazma, Al-Nasr, Al-Sulaibikhat, Burgan, Al-Shabab, and Yarmouk. The top four teams will advance to the semi-finals, where the first-ranked team plays the fourth and the second meets the third, with the winners proceeding to the final match.

As a titleholder, Al-Qadsiya is looking for a strong start and hopes to secure a win over Al-Shabab to launch its title defense successfully. The team has renewed its contract with Bahraini coach Reda Ali for a second season and brought in Iranian player Mohammad Reza Beyk and Dutch player Thijs Ter Horst, replacing Brazilian Moreira and Venezuelan Rivas.

In the evening's second match, Kazma is also eyeing a successful opening as it competes against Yarmouk. Kazma’s lineup has been bolstered by Brazilian coach Caccarato, who succeeded former coach Javad Shamami, and the team has added four local talents—Abdulaziz Muharib, Mubarak Abdul Hadi, Abdul Wahab Al-Jiran, and Ali Al-Saqan. Kazma’s roster also includes Cuban professional Abraham and French player Samuel Genie, adding depth to its squad.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff