By Zaynab Kawtharani and Hana Al Dayyat
OCA Young Reporters
Sanya, China, April 29, 2026: The Islamic Republic of Iran secured the gold medal in men’s beach soccer at the Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026 on April 29, delivering a commanding 6–2 victory in the final held at the Sanya Bay Yuhai Club.
Iran’s clinical performance confirmed their dominance throughout the tournament, as they controlled the match from the opening stages and capitalised on key opportunities to establish a decisive lead.
The result sealed the gold medal for Iran, while the Sultanate of Oman claimed silver and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia secured the bronze medal.
The final showcased Iran’s attacking efficiency and defensive organisation, as they outperformed Oman across all areas of the pitch. With precise finishing and disciplined play, the Iranian side left little room for a comeback, maintaining control until the final whistle.
Speaking after the match, Iran's Shirmohammadi Mahdi reflected on the significance of the victory, stating: “When a team becomes champion, it means they are standing on the peak of Asia. I thank God that Iran’s boys, with the passion and determination they showed, proved that they can be champions as always.”
He added: “They showed that, in Asia, one flag will always remain above all other countries, and that is the flag of Iran in Asian beach soccer.”
On the opposing side, Oman’s team official Talib Al Thanawi acknowledged the challenges faced during the match, highlighting missed opportunities as a decisive factor.
“The fans enjoyed the match. The Iranians took advantage of their chances,” he said.
He continued: “We did not create chances, and we did not take advantage of the opportunities we had. That is the main thing.”
The result marks a significant achievement for Iran in the beach soccer competition at Sanya 2026, reinforcing their status as one of Asia’s leading teams in the sport, while Oman and Saudi Arabia complete the podium following strong performances throughout the tournament.
Iran led 3-0 at the end of the first 12-minute period to put themselves firmly in control of the gold medal match and never looked back.
The second period finished 1-1 and Iran underlined their dominance by taking the third period 2-1 to complete the score in front of a big crowd at the Yuhai Club venue cluster.
Shokri Baghdadaba and Mohammadpour Balt netted two apiece for Iran as a succession of well-executed, power-packed overhead kicks and free kicks peppered the Oman goal.
Together with some resilient defence and shot-blocking, Iran made sure there was no way back for Oman.