Al Qaidhi strikes esports gold in West Asia

MUSCAT: Shahad al Qaidhi turned last year’s silver into gold as she secured the women’s title for Oman at the seventh West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) E-Championship, held in Aqaba, Jordan, on November 10-11.
Al Qaidhi defeated Yemen’s Rania al Awlaqi in the final to take the top prize, while Jordan’s Sara Haddadin claimed bronze. The victory marked a significant step forward for the Omani player, who finished runner-up at the tournament in October 2025.
Her latest success adds to a growing record at home and abroad. Earlier this year, Al Qaidhi won the FC26 Girls Championship organised by the Oman Gaming and Esports Committee at Active Oman Centre, ahead of Aisha al Zadjali and Noor al Hinai.
The Oman delegation was welcomed on its return by Eng Saba bint Said al Busaidi, Chairperson of the Oman Gaming and Esports Committee, who praised the team’s performance and described the title as an important milestone for the sport in the Sultanate of Oman.
“We are proud of this title, which demonstrates the ability of Omani talent to compete internationally and reflects the work being done to develop the sector and support women’s participation,” she said.
“We hope this achievement will be the beginning of further success for Oman in international competitions.”
SEVEN NATIONS
The women’s tournament brought together representatives from seven national associations: Oman, Jordan, Bahrain, Syria, Kuwait, Yemen and Palestine. The opening stage featured a single group, with the top four advancing to the semifinals.
Both the semifinals and final followed a best-of-three format, requiring a player to win two matches to secure the tie.
Matches were played one-on-one on PlayStation using EA Sports FC 27, with the championship staged at Aqaba’s Arab Revolt Square. All 12 WAFF member associations were represented in the men’s competition, where Saudi Arabia claimed the title ahead of Iraq, while Yemen finished third.
The tournament was held in cooperation with the Jordan Esports Federation, with support from the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and Zain. Group matches took place on the opening day, followed by the knockout stages and medal contests on the second day. Matches were also streamed through WAFF’s official YouTube channels.