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The attention of the world university sports community turns to Doha, preparing for the start of the tenth edition of the 2026 World University Weightlifting Championships, hosted by the State of Qatar from 8 to 12 September this month, with around 116 male and female athletes representing 21 countries.
The organizing committee announced its full readiness to host the competitions in a press conference held at the University City Student Forum Hall, His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaim, President of the Qatar University Sports Federation and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Rashid Saeed Adiba, Secretary General of the Qatar University Sports Federation and the Organizing Committee of the March in the presence of a member of the vice-chair. International University Sports Federation (FISU) committee together with sponsors, partners and media representatives.
His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaim emphasized that the hosting of the tournament in Doha reflects the great interest that the State of Qatar attaches to university sports and its desire to continue to support it and develop its presence at the international level.
The chairman of the organizing committee welcomed the participating delegations and emphasized that the event is not limited to competing on the weightlifting platform, but carries a broader message with the spirit and values of university sports, the first of which is fair competition, integrity, teamwork and communication between different cultures, in accordance with the principles adopted by the International Federation of University Sports.
On his part, Rashid Said Adiba confirmed the completion of various organizational and technical aspects of hosting the competition and explained that the work was carried out with an integrated system and standards corresponding to the status of an international tournament.
The championship will be held under the umbrella of the International Federation of University Sports, in the student forum of the university, and in the Hotel Ezdan Palace, the training sessions of the teams and athletes will be organized within the framework of the integrated system prepared by the organizing committee to ensure the best conditions for preparation and competition.
The tenth edition features 21 countries: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, Spain, Finland, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Iraq, Republic of Korea, Moldova, Poland, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Sri Lanka, Slovakia, China, Taipei and the United States of America. character.
The competitions are divided into eight weight categories for men: 60, 65, 70, 75, 85, 95, 110 and over 110 kg and eight weight categories for women: 49, 53, 57, 61, 69, 77, 86 and over 86 kg in the competition where participants compete cleanly and in the competition. Expect a strong competition between some of the most prominent university talents in the sport of weightlifting.
The tournament is of particular importance as it returns to the international agenda after its competitions were suspended in 2018, resuming its global presence from Doha, which is hosting the event for the first time to promote university sports and provide competitive platforms for young athletes from around the world.
The championship is also the second global championship organized by the Qatar University Sports Federation since its official inception in 2023, following the hosting of the 3×3 University Basketball Championship, reflecting the rapid development of the federation’s organizational work and the expansion of its participation in major university sports events.
The tournament carries a distinct Qatari identity with its mascot, “Rimal”, inspired by the Qatari environment and its authentic heritage and reflecting the spirit of welcoming Doha’s visitors, while the tournament’s visual logo embodies the concepts of strength, balance and excellence, which are directly linked to the values associated with the nature of the sport.
The organizing committee hopes that the five days of the tournament will provide an opportunity for the participating delegations to provide an integrated experience that is not limited to sports competitions, but will extend to getting to know each other, communicating and discovering aspects of Qatari culture, thus strengthening university sports in uniting youth from different countries and cultures.
As preparations reach their final stages, Doha is on the brink of a new global launch in university sports as the competitions begin tomorrow, Tuesday and run until September 12, amid ambitions to present an organizationally and technically successful version that will add to the Qatari state’s record for hosting international tournaments and demonstrate its ability to provide the highest standards of organization for major sporting events.
