Oman’s men’s national volleyball team commenced their campaign at the 24th Arab Men’s Volleyball Championship on Tuesday, October 6, facing Algeria in a match held at the Arena Hall in Al Hussein Youth City, Amman. The competition, hosted by Jordan, features six teams—Oman, Jordan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain—competing in a single round-robin preliminary stage, with the top four advancing to the semifinals.
Under the guidance of Tunisian head coach Nizar Chekili, Oman entered the tournament following an intensive preparation period. The team held a training camp at the Sohar Sports Complex after participating in the Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship in Japan. The training focused on enhancing physical conditioning, addressing technical weaknesses, and refining tactical strategies in anticipation of the Arab championship.
Assistant coach Hamid al Maqbali noted that the squad rested for three days upon returning from Japan before resuming rigorous training, which involved up to eight sessions per week in Sohar. The coaching staff aimed to rectify issues identified during the Asian tournament while maintaining the players’ fitness levels for the demanding schedule ahead.
Oman’s recent international engagements have been significant. In July, the team captured the title at the second West Asia Men’s Volleyball Championship in Muscat, defeating Qatar 3-0 in the final with set scores of 25-19, 25-15, and 25-23. Following this victory, they undertook further preparation through training camps in China and match play in Japan against host nation Japan, Australia, and Bahrain. These fixtures provided the coaching team with valuable insight into the squad’s performance against varied opposition.
Tuesday’s opening day of the Arab championship included three matches: Kuwait vs. Bahrain at 4 p.m. Oman time, Oman vs. Algeria at 6 p.m., and the hosts Jordan against Saudi Arabia at 8 p.m. Oman’s schedule is notably tight; they face Saudi Arabia the next day at 5 p.m., just under 24 hours after their opener, requiring careful management of player recovery and workload.
The tournament calendar also schedules Kuwait against Algeria on Wednesday at 7 p.m., followed by a rest day on Thursday. Oman will then play Kuwait on Friday, October 9, at 5 p.m., face host nation Jordan on Sunday, October 11, and conclude the preliminary rounds against Bahrain on Wednesday, October 14.
Al Maqbali emphasized the importance of the Arab Men’s Volleyball Championship within the team’s seasonal objectives, expressing Oman’s ambition to secure a strong finish while leveraging lessons gained through recent international competition.