Ministry Shield Handball Championship reaches decisive stage with four quarterfinal clashes

MUSCAT: The 15th edition of the Ministry Shield Handball Championship for the 2025/2026 sports season enters its decisive stage today, as four highly anticipated matches are scheduled in the quarterfinals of the competition.
The championship resumes after a brief suspension due to the participation of Oman’s national senior indoor handball team in the 22nd Asian Handball Championship, recently held in the sisterly State of Kuwait. Eight clubs are competing for four spots in the semifinals, with expectations of intense and closely contested encounters reflecting the narrow gap in technical levels among the teams.
The day’s action kicks off on the main indoor hall at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, where Seeb face Majees, Seeb will be looking to maintain their strong presence in the competition and reinforce their status as title contenders, while Majees aim to pull off an upset by eliminating one of the tournament favourites and advancing further.

The Al Rustaq Sports Complex will host a clash between Al Musannah and Nizwa, with both sides eager to deliver a competitive performance and secure a place in the semifinals, Matches between the two teams have traditionally been marked by intensity and high levels of competitiveness.
The final match of the day will see Al Amerat take on Al Shabab at the same venue, in a contest open to all possibilities, Al Amerat will be looking to build on their positive momentum after clinching the Second Division League title for the first time in their history during their debut season in competitions organised by the Oman Handball Association, The outcome of Monday’s matches will determine the four teams that continue their quest for the Ministry Shield title, in a championship that has witnessed strong competition and a steadily rising technical standard this season.
It is worth noting that the quarterfinals are played under a single elimination (knockout) system. In the event of a draw at the end of regular time in the first and second rounds, matches are decided directly by seven-metre throws without extra time. However, if semifinal or final matches end in a draw after regular time, Law (2-2) of the game regulations is applied, with extra time played to determine the winner. Classification matches are also held to determine third and fourth places, while the two semifinal winners compete to decide the first and second positions.