MUSCAT: The experienced Oman head coach, Hamood al Hasani, voiced confidence that the national beach handball team will deliver a strong performance at the upcoming 2026 IHF Beach Handball World Championship which will take place from June 23 to 28, 2026 in Croatia.
Speaking to Oman Observer ahead of the global event, Al Hasani affirmed that the team is aiming to surpass its historic best finish and compete for a top position. “Our target is to achieve a better result than fourth place, which remains Oman’s best performance in the World Championship,” he said.
Oman have been drawn in Group D alongside France, Croatia and Australia, in what is widely considered a competitive group. The coach acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that Croatia will enter the tournament as defending world champions and the hosts while France represent a rapidly developing European side and Australia bring physical strength and regional experience.
“The group featured strong teams and we fully respect all the opponents. However, we are focused on our preparation and confident in our ability to compete at this level,” he added.
Al Hasani outlined a comprehensive preparation plan designed to ensure the team reaches peak readiness ahead of the global event. The squad will begin a series of domestic training camps starting by a domestic preparatory camp next week and followed by an external camp in Croatia shortly before the global tournament.
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As part of their build-up, Oman will also participate in a friendly international tournament in Zagreb, featuring several top teams including Denmark, Croatia, Spain and Italy. The event is expected to provide valuable match experience and help fine-tune the team’s tactical and physical readiness.
“These matches will be very important for us. They will allow the players to gain confidence and adjust to high-level competition before the tournament’s begins,” Al Hasani explained.
Reflecting on the team’s recent performance at the Asian Games in Sanya 2026, where Oman exited in the preliminary stage, the coach admitted disappointment but stressed that the focus has shifted totally towards the World Championship.
“We were not satisfied with our result in Sanya, but we are determined to return stronger and show a different level at the World Championship,” he said.
Oman qualified for the global event after winning the Asian Beach Handball Championship in Muscat last year, defeating Iran 2-0 in the final to secure their second continental title and end a 21-year wait since their first triumph in 2004.
The upcoming championship will mark Oman’s ninth appearance on the world stage. Oman’s team is under direct supervision of experienced national head coach Hamood al Hasani and will hope to show top performance and reach to the final stages.
Oman's rich history at the World Championship began with a debut in 2004 in Hurghada, Egypt. Since then, the team has been a regular participant, with notable finishes including fourth place in 2009 (Taipei), eighth place in 2012 (Al Musannah, Oman), sixth place in 2014 (Brazil) and seventh place in 2016 (Hungary).
The team also competed in Thailand (2017), Russia (2018) and most recently in China (2023), where they finished 15th. Oman had also qualified for the 2020 edition in Italy, which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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