Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, inaugurated the World Para Powerlifting Championship this Thursday evening, hosted by the New Administrative Capital from October 9 to 18, with participation from 72 countries across different continents.

In his speech during the opening ceremony, Ashraf Sobhy expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the patron of sports and athletes and the primary supporter of para-sports, praising the special care and attention the president gives to Egypt’s heroes with determination.

The minister also congratulated the president on the national football team’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals, affirming that this achievement is the result of the great support the Egyptian sports system receives.

The Minister of Youth and Sports attended the opening ceremony immediately after returning from Morocco, where he supported the Egyptian team in their match against Djibouti, which ended with a 3-0 victory and their qualification for the World Cup.

The minister welcomed all participating delegations, praising the outstanding organizational efforts and the impressive opening ceremony segments, noting that Egypt has become a global model in organizing and hosting major international championships thanks to its modern sports infrastructure and capable human resources.

The ceremony was attended by several sports and diplomatic figures, including Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo; Khaled Abbas, Chairman of the Administrative Capital Company; Massimo Deji, President of the International Weightlifting Committee at the International Paralympic Committee; Ahmed Nasser, President of the Confederations’ Union; Hossam El-Din Mostafa, President of the Egyptian Paralympic Committee and Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the championship; Ayman Ali Hassan, President of the Egyptian Cycling Federation; alongside several ambassadors and members of the Paralympic Committee board.

The championship features intense competitions over its days, starting with youth events in the first two days, followed by senior competitions from October 11 to 17, concluding on October 18 with team events for men, women, and mixed teams, followed by the closing and awarding ceremony.

Egypt is represented by 54 athletes, including 21 youth and female athletes and 33 seniors, marking the largest Egyptian participation in the history of the World Para Powerlifting Championships.