Al Qaidhi claims FC26 Girls Championship title

MUSCAT: Shahad al Qaidhi was crowned champion of the FC26 Girls Championship, which concluded at Active Oman Centre amid strong competition and growing interest in women’s esports in the Sultanate of Oman.
Organised by the Oman Gaming and Esports Committee, the event featured 12 players competing under the double-elimination format, which gave participants another chance to return to contention after their first defeat and added further excitement to the knockout rounds.
The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Eng Dr Siham bint Ahmed al Harthy, member of the Board of Directors of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Chairperson of the Board of Afaq Development and Investment United Company.
Shahad al Qaidhi secured first place after a consistent run throughout the tournament, while Aisha al Zadjali finished second and Noor al Hinai claimed third place. The final stages witnessed close contests, particularly in the winners’ and losers’ brackets, reflecting the improving technical level of female players in FC competitions.

The championship showed clear progress compared with previous editions, with players displaying better match control, attacking build-up and decision-making during decisive moments. The double-elimination system also helped raise the competitive level, allowing players to recover from setbacks and continue their challenge in the later rounds.
CHALLENGING WIN
Speaking after her victory, Shahad bint Ali al Qaidhi said this year’s tournament was more challenging than previous competitions due to the noticeable improvement in the level of players.
'I train every day because stopping practice affects the level directly. On normal days, I train for long hours and during tournaments, I increase the playing time because the pressure and challenge are higher. Sometimes training reaches eight or nine hours a day, she said.

Shahad, who has competed in local and overseas events, added that the growth of female participation in FC was encouraging. “Last year, I did not expect to see many girls playing FC in Oman. This year, the players were more prepared, more confident and more willing to compete. My ambition is to represent the national team, take part in international tournaments and win gold medals for Oman,” she added.
Runner-up Aisha bint Ahmed al Zadjali said the tournament was a positive experience, both in terms of organisation and the level of competition.
“I enjoyed the experience. The community is growing and this time the number and level of players were better than before. There are girls with good skills and a promising future in this field,” she said.

Aisha added that the venue and arrangements helped the players compete comfortably. “The organisation was very good, the place was suitable, and the organisers respected the privacy of the participants, especially regarding photography and general arrangements. I hope girls receive more encouragement in esports because they are capable of competing and reaching advanced levels,” she said.
Third-placed Noor bint Ali bin Rashid al Hinai said the tournament represented another step towards professionalism in FC. “The level was very strong despite the limited number of participants. Reaching the semifinals was not easy, especially after I lost one match and had to return through the losers’ bracket,” she said.
Noor, who represents Boom X, said she is still at the beginning of her journey and hopes to achieve more titles in the coming period.
The championship formed part of ongoing efforts to expand female participation in esports and provide Omani talents with a structured platform for competition and development.