Tokyo, September 10 (QNA) - The Qatar men's basketball team secured a 59–53 victory over Iran on Thursday, launching its campaign in the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026), which officially opens in Japan on September 19 and runs until October 4.

Qatar claimed its first win in Group B, which also features Iran, Jordan, and Chinese Taipei.

The Qatari squad plays its second match of the tournament this coming Saturday against Jordan, before concluding the preliminary round next Sunday by facing Chinese Taipei.

Men's basketball competition in the Games features 12 teams distributed across three groups: Group A includes Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia; Group B comprises Qatar, Iran, Jordan, and Chinese Taipei; while Group C features China, the Philippines, Bahrain, and Kazakhstan.

Knockout matches will follow the conclusion of the group stage, leading up to the final on September 20, to determine the men's basketball tournament champion.

Qatar is participating in the 20th Asian Games with a delegation of 243 athletes, 184 male and 59 female competitors representing 18 sports federations, amid aspirations for stellar results that bolster Qatari sports prominence on the Asian stage. (QNA)