MUSCAT: Oman will welcome some of the world’s leading beach handball teams when it hosts the third stage of the fifth edition of the International Handball Federation Beach Handball Global Tour on December 4 and 5.
Organised by the Oman Handball Association (OHA), the international event will take place at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher and will feature eight teams, with four competing in the men’s competition and four in the women’s event. The participating delegations are scheduled to arrive in Oman on December 3.
The men’s tournament will bring together hosts Oman, reigning world champions Germany, Croatia and Poland. Croatia secured their place after winning the opening stage of the Global Tour in Zagreb, while Poland qualified after finishing runners-up in the second stage in Płock, city in central Poland.
Germany will compete as the reigning world champions.
In the women’s competition, world champions Argentina will be joined by Portugal, winners of the women’s title in Zagreb, and Germany, who claimed the title in Płock. The fourth participating women’s team will be announced later.
The Muscat stage carries particular importance for Oman as the country continues its preparations to host the IHF Beach Handball World Championships for men and women in Dhofar Governorate in 2028.
It will be Oman’s second time hosting the World Championships, having previously staged the global event in 2012 at the Sports City in Al Musannah.
MILESTONE EVENT
Hamood al Hasani, head coach of Oman’s national beach handball team, described the upcoming Global Tour stage as an important milestone for both the national team and the continued development of the sport in the Sultanate of Oman.
“The tournament is very important to us from a technical point of view,” Al Hasani said. “It will give our players the opportunity to play competitive matches and maintain continuity in beach handball through regular competition.”
He added that hosting the event also carries a wider message about Oman’s ability and readiness to organise major international sporting competitions.
“This tournament will show the world the capabilities Oman has in hosting major global events. Its importance has become even greater after Oman won the right to host the 2028 Beach Handball World Championships in Salalah,” he said.
Al Hasani praised the efforts of the OHA, led by its chairman Moosa bin Khamis al Balushi, in securing the hosting rights for the 2028 World Championships.
For the national team, the December tournament will provide a valuable opportunity to compete against some of the strongest sides in the sport, including world champions Germany, Croatia and Poland.
“These are established teams with great experience in beach handball, and playing against them is an important opportunity for our players,” Al Hasani said. “Competing with such teams on our home soil is a major step for the development of our national team.”
The coach also revealed that the upcoming event could provide an opportunity to introduce new players to the national team as Oman begins building towards the 2028 World Championships.
“With the World Championships taking place in Oman in 2028, we are looking at the possibility of bringing in new players and assessing the available talent. This tournament will be an excellent opportunity to test new elements and evaluate their potential against top international opposition,” he said.
Al Hasani added that the technical staff will hold coordination meetings with the OHA and the national teams committee to determine the next phase of preparation and build a long-term programme for the team.
Oman has established a strong reputation in beach handball, having won Asian and Gulf titles and competed at the most recent World Championships in Croatia. Oman was also among the early countries in the Gulf region to embrace and develop the sport.
The 2026 Global Tour began in Zagreb on April 30 and May 1, where Croatia won the men’s title and Portugal claimed the women’s crown. The second stage was held in Płock on June 13 and 14, with Germany winning both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The Muscat stage will therefore offer Oman a valuable competitive and organisational test as it prepares for the 2028 World Championships. It will also provide Omani technical, administrative and organisational personnel with the opportunity to gain further international experience.
Oman is also scheduled to host another stage of the Global Tour in 2027, giving the national team and local organisers another important step in their preparations before the world’s best beach handball teams gather in Dhofar for the 2028 World Championships.
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