Volleyball Premier League kicks off tomorrow with two matches

The Kuwaiti Premier Volleyball League for the 2025-2026 sports season kicks off tomorrow with two matches in the opening round. At 5:00 PM, Kazma will face Al-Salibikhaat, while at 7:00 PM, traditional rivals Al-Qadsia and Al-Arabi will clash at the Union Hall within the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex.

Five clubs are participating in the tournament, which is played in a single-round-robin format. The top four teams will advance to the semi-finals, where the first-placed team will play the fourth-placed team, and the runner-up will face the third-placed team. The two winners will progress to the final.

All teams have prepared to resume the competition after a hiatus of more than seven months, albeit with varying levels of preparation. Kuwait Club, Al-Qadsia, and Al-Arabi limited themselves to local preparations, whereas Kazma and Al-Salibikhaat held training camps in Cairo, interspersed with friendly matches.

Additionally, four clubs have made changes to their coaching staff, while Al-Salibikhaat retained its Egyptian coach, Ahmed Refaat, who led the team to its first-ever promotion to the Premier League.

Kazma followed a similar path, signing Brazilian coach Anderson de Oliveira, re-signing its Brazilian import Lilson Costa, and bringing in Colombian player Juan Felipe.

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s matches, Kazma seeks a strong start to the competition after defeating Al-Qadsia 3-0 last Monday in the final match of the preliminary round. Meanwhile, Al-Salibikhaat aims to confirm its right to remain in the Premier League, leveraging its preparations and new signings to achieve a positive start against the Orange team.

The second match carries special significance between the traditional rivals, the Yellow and Green teams. Al-Qadsia seeks to overcome its recent defeat to Kazma and prove its competitiveness, while Al-Arabi aims to secure the top spot in its favor and strengthen its chances of reaching the semi-finals.