Doha, March 27 (QNA) - The playoff stage of the semi-finals of the Qatar Men's Basketball League for the 2025–2026 season continues with the second round scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Al Gharafa Hall. This comes after the postponement of Thursday's matches by decision of the Qatar Basketball Federation's Competitions Committee due to adverse weather conditions, in a move aimed at ensuring the best technical environment for these decisive encounters.

The second-round fixtures will see Al Sadd face Al Arabi, followed by Al Ahli against Al Rayyan. Both matches are highly anticipated, as they may directly determine the two finalists.

The first round, held last Monday, gave a clear advantage to Al Rayyan and Al Arabi. Al Rayyan secured a commanding 93–69 victory over Al Ahli, delivering a strong performance that underlined their readiness to compete for the title. In the other clash, Al Arabi continued their impressive form with a deserved 95–78 win over Al Sadd, placing themselves in a comfortable position ahead of the second round.

Based on these results, both Al Rayyan and Al Arabi lead their semi-final series 1–0 in the best-of-three format, giving them a golden opportunity to secure qualification to the final in the second round without the need for a decider. Conversely, Al Sadd and Al Ahli enter Saturday's matches under the banner of "no alternative to victory," as defeat would end their campaign. A win, however, would level the series at 1–1 and force a decisive third game to determine the finalists.

All scenarios remain open heading into the second round: victories for Al Rayyan and Al Arabi would seal their places in the final, while wins for Al Sadd or Al Ahli would push the semi-finals to a deciding match later on.

The season will conclude with the third-place playoff, followed by the grand final that will crown the champion of this year's Qatar Basketball League. The winner will also become the first holder of the newly introduced Qatar Basketball League Shield.

Al Rayyan holds the record for the most league titles with 18 championships, followed by Al Arabi with 10. Qatar Club has won 7 titles, while Al Sadd, Al Gharafa, Al Shamal, and the former Al Jaish Club have each claimed 2 titles. Al Ahli has one championship to their name, achieved in the 2000–2001 season. (QNA)