Basketball Begins Today at Omani Women’s Olympic Games

The curtain rises on the eagerly awaited Women’s Basketball Championship this Friday, as it officially kicks off as part of the third Omani Women’s Olympic Games. The two-day event, running through Saturday, is being held under the auspices of the Women’s Sports Department at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) in close collaboration with the Oman Basketball Association (OBA).

This year’s edition sees strong participation from eight women’s teams, all eager to display their athleticism, teamwork, and competitive spirit in one of the most celebrated competitions of the Games.

The competing teams are split into two groups. Group A consists of Salalah, Al Amerat, Ibri, and Qurayat, while Group B is made up of Al Kamil W’al Wafi, Samayil, Sohar, and Masirah. All matches are being staged at the renowned Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, providing a professional arena to match the growing stature of women’s sports in the Sultanate.

The preliminary round adopts a single round-robin format, with each team playing every other team in its group. The teams are then ranked from first to fourth based on match results and total points accumulated. The tournament’s structure intensifies in the second stage, where knockout-style quarterfinals are introduced. The group leader from Group A will take on the fourth-placed team from Group B, while the runner-up of Group A faces the third team from Group B. Conversely, the third team from Group A matches up with the second from Group B, and the fourth in Group A will battle the top team in Group B.

The top four teams from this round will advance to the semifinals, from which the two winning teams will proceed to the final match to contest for the championship. Teams that do not qualify will vie for third-place honors. In total, the tournament will feature 20 matches across two days, reflecting the rigorous organization, competitive drive, and growing enthusiasm for women’s sports in Oman.

More than just a game, the basketball championship is an essential part of the Omani Women’s Olympic Games’ broader vision—to strengthen women’s presence in sports, promote inclusion, and encourage sportsmanship and unity among young female athletes across the Sultanate.

Team V.DIR-EM-UAE