Ministry's Shield handball draw sets up quarterfinal showdowns

MUSCAT: The quarterfinal draw for the 15th edition of the Ministry's Shield Handball Championship for the

2025–26 season was held on Monday at the Oman Olympic Committee headquarters in Muscat, setting the stage for a series of highly competitive encounters, most notably an early showdown between defending champions Oman Club and Muscat Club.

Under the auspices of Juma bin Said al Mahrami, Secretary-General of Seeb Club and in the presence of representatives from the eight participating clubs, Seeb, Majees, Oman Club, Al Amerat, Muscat, Al Shabab, Al Musannah and Nizwa.

The quarterfinal fixtures will see Seeb face Majees, while holders Oman Club take on Muscat in what is expected to be the standout tie of the round, the remaining two fixtures will pit Al Amerat against Al Shabab and Al Musannah against Nizwa.

The matches between Seeb and Majees, and Oman and Muscat, will be staged following the conclusion of Oman’s senior national team participation in the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship, which will be hosted by Kuwait from January 15 to 29 and serves as a qualifier for the 2027 IHF World Championship in Germany. The dates for the other two quarterfinal matches will be announced later this month by the competition committee.

During the draw ceremony, Yaqoob al Qasmi, a member of the Oman Handball Association's Competitions Committee, explained the tournament regulations, noting that quarterfinal matches will be played on a knockout basis, with any draws decided directly by seven metre throws without extra-time. The extra-time will only be applied in the semifinals and final, in accordance with international handball regulations.

The draw ceremony being held at the Oman Olympic Committee headquarters. —Huda al Bahri

DEMANDING TEST

Commenting on Al Shabab’s quarterfinal encounter against Al Amerat, Al Shabab representative Ahmed bin Hilal al Balushi said the match would be a demanding test. “Al Amerat are a well-organised side with quality players, We respect them greatly, but our ambition is to reach the semifinals and compete strongly for the title. We will prepare thoroughly for this challenge,” he said.

Meanwhile, Al Amerat head coach Khalid al Araimi expressed confidence in his team’s readiness, stating: “Facing Al Shabab is an important challenge for us at this stage. We are aiming to deliver a performance that reflects the work we have put in, focusing on the fine details that often decide knockout matches.”

The Ministry's Shield is regarded as one of the most prestigious domestic handball competitions in Oman, offering clubs a valuable platform to assess their technical readiness and enhance their competitive presence throughout the season.

Muscat Club currently top the tournament’s all-time honours list with eight titles, followed by Oman

Club with four championships, while Ahli Sidab have claimed the trophy on two occasions, underlining

the competition’s long standing history of intense rivalry among Omani clubs.