Oman to open Asian campaign with Qatar match

MUSCAT, JAN 14

The 22nd edition of the Asian Men’s Handball Championship officially gets underway on Thursday at the Shaikh Saad Al Abdullah Sports Complex in Kuwait. The tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship in Germany, will run until January 29 and features the participation of 15 national teams from across the continent.

The competing teams have been divided into four groups, with Group A shaping up as one of the strongest in the tournament. The group includes Oman, reigning champions Qatar and record titleholders South Korea. Group B comprises Bahrain, Jordan, China and Iraq, while Group C features host nation Kuwait alongside the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and India. Group D includes Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Four matches are scheduled on the opening day of the championship, the action begins with a clash between Hong Kong and the UAE, followed by Australia versus Japan, hosts Kuwait will then face India. The opening day concludes with a highly anticipated encounter between Saudi Arabia and Iran, all matches are played according to Kuwait local time.

Oman will launch their campaign on Friday, with a challenging opening fixture against defending champions Qatar. The match is expected to be a significant test for Oman, particularly given the strength of the group and the pedigree of their opponents.

The Omani delegation arrived in Kuwait on Tuesday evening, where they received a warm welcome from the tournament’s organising committee. The team held a light training session on Wednesday morning, during which the technical staff focused on maintaining players’ fitness levels and ensuring readiness following travel.

The tournament’s technical meeting was held on Wednesday at the Safir Hotel, attended by representatives of all participating teams. During the meeting, the competition regulations and match system were explained, provisional team rosters and player numbers were approved, and official kit colours for the matches were finalised.

Acting President of the Kuwait Handball Federation, Shabib al Hajri, welcomed the participating Asian teams, wishing them a pleasant stay, expressing his hope that the championship would deliver strong and competitive matches reflecting the advanced level of Asian handball.

Al Hajri also extended his gratitude to the Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee, Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman al Mutairi, for his continued support and efforts to overcome challenges and ensure the tournament’s success.

OPENING CEREMONY

The Supreme Organising Committee announced that a simple opening ceremony will take place on Thursday at Shaikh Saad Al Abdullah Hall, featuring a number of artistic performances, the ceremony will conclude with the Group C match between Kuwait and India.

Oman enter the championship with high morale, building on the progress shown during the current season, as well as recent regional and continental appearances that have contributed to improving performance levels and enhancing players’ experience, the team aims to deliver a strong showing that reflects the development of Omani handball and to compete for one of the qualifying spots for the 2027 World Championship.

The Asian Men’s Handball Championship title has only been claimed by four national teams. South Korea lead the all-time standings with nine titles, followed by Qatar with six, Kuwait with four and Japan with two championships.