By Hana Aldayyat
OCA Young Reporter
Sanya, China, April 24, 2026: The Jordanian national beach handball team faced three-time defending champions Qatar in a challenging Group B match on Friday evening at the Tianya Haijiao Beach Handball Venue.
Qatar entered this match as the overwhelming favorites, having dominated the competition since the opening day. The Qatari team began their title defense with two convincing victories on April 21, defeating Pakistan 2-0 and Oman 2-0.
Qatar continued their winning streak with further victories over Bangladesh and Mongolia, winning both matches 2-0 to maintain a perfect record in Group B. Their well organized play, attacking efficiency and defensive solidity have made them the team to beat in the group.
Jordan, meanwhile, came into this evening match following a busy day of competition. Earlier in the day, Jordan secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Bangladesh in the morning session, winning the first set 19-12 and the second set 14-6. That victory added two important points to Jordan's group stage tally. Prior to that, Jordan had defeated the Maldives on April 21 and Pakistan on April 23, while they only lost against Thailand in their opening match.
The match between Qatar and Jordan proved to be a difficult test for the Jordanian side. Qatar's technical superiority and experience at the highest level of Asian beach handball ultimately made the difference. The defending champions controlled the tempo of the match from the start, showcasing the same attacking efficiency and defensive solidity that had earned them back to back gold medals at the previous three Asian Beach Games in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
Jordan fought hard throughout the contest, demonstrating the same energy and commitment they had shown against Bangladesh just hours earlier. However, Qatar's quality proved too much to overcome. At the final whistle, Qatar emerged victorious, maintaining their perfect record in Group B and strengthening their position at the top of the group standings.
Group B is a highly competitive eight team group featuring Qatar, Oman, Thailand, Pakistan, Jordan, Maldives, Bangladesh and Mongolia. Only the top two teams from the group will advance to the semi finals scheduled for April 28, followed by the medal matches on April 30.
Following this defeat to Qatar, Jordan will need to perform strongly in their remaining matches to secure a top two finish and advance to the knockout rounds.