Khanjar team starts Galaxy Ice Hockey League campaign

Muscat, Oct 24
The Omani Khanjar ice hockey team began its participation in the Galaxy Ice Hockey League, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from October 2025 to May 2026, as part of the team’s ongoing programme of regional Gulf competitions. The league is one of the top tournaments that brings together Gulf teams comprising both citizens and residents, offering a high level of competition throughout the season.
The Omani team started its journey with a deserved victory over Society Sport before suffering a loss to Typhoon, ending the first two rounds with one win and one loss. The team is aiming to top its group and advance to the final rounds. Its next match will be against Galaxy Knights on November 8 at the Fun Zone Rink in Muscat, a match described as a strong derby where Khanjar hope to win on home ice and move to the top of the standings.
Saud bin Nasser al Aufi, Chairman of the Oman Skating Sports Committee, said that ice hockey in Oman has seen remarkable improvement in recent years and maintaining that level requires consistent participation in international competitions. He added that the Galaxy League serves as an important platform for gaining experience and improving the team’s performance, especially since the participating teams are of high calibre and the tournament is professionally organised. The team managed to achieve a solid win and will continue its journey with the same determination and strong performance.
He noted that this is the team’s second consecutive appearance in the league, with ambitions this year to achieve better results and reach the final stages after being unlucky in the previous edition. Confidence remains high in the players and coaching staff, who are united in their effort to achieve the goal of winning the championship.
Al Aufi explained that the main goal of participating is to maintain the Omani team’s standard and develop the players’ skills. Ice hockey is still a growing sport in Oman, while the UAE has made great progress by establishing advanced academies in this field. The team’s participation aims to represent the Sultanate of Oman honourably and gain experience from facing strong teams on full-sized ice rinks, especially since Oman currently lacks an international-standard facility; existing rinks are small and commercial in nature.
He concluded that the players are now adapting to the large arenas and becoming more accustomed to competing against high-level teams. This participation aligns with the committee’s objective to keep the national team ready for future competitions and to continuously enhance performance and competitiveness in international tournaments.