Super Cup set to provide early test ahead of Gulf championship

MUSCAT: The Oman Handball Super Cup is set to provide an important early test for the participating clubs as they prepare for the new 2026-27 season, with the draw scheduled for Sunday and Oman Club looking to use the competition as a key preparation phase ahead of their participation in the Gulf Clubs Championship.
The draw ceremony will be held at 11am at the Oman Handball Association headquarters at the Oman Olympic Committee and Sports Associations building. Four clubs will take part in this season’s Super Cup — defending champions Oman Club, Al Amerat, last season’s First Division and Ministry's Shield champions, as well as Nizwa and Seeb.
The draw will be open, with the first-round fixtures scheduled for November 8, while the final will be played on November 11.
For Oman Club, the Super Cup represents more than an opportunity to defend the title. The club sees the competition as an important part of its preparations for the Gulf championship, particularly with several changes taking place within the squad and coaching staff.
Oman Club team manager Ahmed al Jassasi said the club’s main objective was to use the Super Cup to build the team’s readiness for the Gulf competition, while also maintaining its ambition of winning the title.
“We will prepare seriously for the Super Cup, but our bigger objective from this participation is for it to serve as a real preparation stage for the Gulf championship,” Al Jassasi said.
“We have a new coach, Tunisian coach Moez Mahfoudh, who is working to get a closer look at the players and assess their capabilities, positions and the technical aspects we need to improve before entering the Gulf competition.”

OMAN CLUB AIM TO DEFEND TITLE
Al Jassasi added that the Super Cup would also provide the new coach with an opportunity to assess the team during competitive matches and determine the best tactical and positional options.
The club has also added a new foreign player, Mohamed Diab, whose integration into the squad is another part of the preparations. Al Jassasi believes the Super Cup will help the coaching staff assess the new signing alongside the rest of the players before the team turns its full attention to the Gulf championship.
“We also hope to win the Super Cup as we did last season, but at the same time, the most important thing is to benefit from the competition, improve our readiness and reach our best possible level before travelling for the Gulf championship,” he said.
Nizwa, meanwhile, will make their first appearance in the Super Cup after enjoying a successful previous campaign in which they finished fourth in the league and won the Ministry Shield.
Nizwa player Abdulaziz al Saifi described the participation as an important milestone for both the club and its players.

“This is our first participation in the Super Cup after finishing fourth in the league and winning the Ministry's Shield. It is an important step for the club and the players and reflects the work and effort we put in last season,” Al Saifi said.
He added that the competition would give Nizwa valuable exposure against strong opponents and help the players gain experience and confidence ahead of the new season.
“Our goal is to produce a performance worthy of Nizwa, benefit from every match we play and make the tournament an ideal start to the new season,” he said.
Al Saifi revealed that Nizwa began preparations at the end of September, focusing on improving the players’ physical and technical condition while completing the squad and finalising foreign player signings.
The Super Cup also carries significant historical value for Oman Club, who have won the trophy three times in 2017-18, 2024-25 and 2025-26. Muscat have won the competition twice, in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
With Oman Club, Al Amerat, Nizwa and Seeb competing for the trophy, the Super Cup is expected to offer an early indication of the competitive landscape ahead of a demanding new handball season.