Kuwait Hosts 28th Asian Handball Club Championship

Kuwait City – Ahli Online – The spotlight turns to the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex in Kuwait as the 28th edition of the Asian Handball Club Championship kicks off tomorrow, Saturday. This prestigious tournament, which runs from June 6 to June 15, serves as a qualifying event for the 2026 IHF Super Globe in Egypt and is hosted by Kuwait Club.

The championship holds significant importance due to the participation of elite clubs from across the continent, all vying for a chance to secure a spot in the World Club Championship while competing for the continental title, one of the most prestigious tournaments in Asian handball.

Kuwaiti representatives, Kuwait Club and Burgan, face a formidable challenge against teams with rich histories and experience. The tournament features clubs that have previously clinched both local and continental titles, promising intense matchups from the first round through to the final.

Recently, a Chinese team announced its withdrawal from the tournament, bringing the total number of participating teams down to seven: host Kuwait Club, Burgan, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Khaleej, Bahrain’s Al-Najma, Qatar’s Al-Duhail and Al-Arabi, along with UAE’s Sharjah Club, the defending champion.

Following this withdrawal, the tournament format has been adjusted. Teams will compete in a single round-robin league. At the conclusion of this stage, the top four teams will advance to the semifinals where the first-ranked team will face the fourth and the second will meet the third. The winners of these matches will then move on to compete for the continental title.

Preparation Completion.

According to Samah Al-Hajri, the tournament director, all organizational and technical preparations have been completed successfully. He confirmed that all committees are ready to welcome participating delegations and teams. He noted that this year’s championship is among the strongest on record due to the close levels of competing clubs and their outstanding rosters featuring both local and international players.

Al-Hajri expressed confidence in Kuwait’s extensive experience in hosting continental sports events and his belief that this championship will showcase Kuwait’s sporting stature and capability to host major tournaments. He wished success to all participating teams and hoped they would deliver performances worthy of this significant Asian event.

Golden Record.

The Qatari team Al-Sadd has won six Asian Handball titles. Kazzmāh and Al-Qadsiah (Kuwait), along with Al-Jaish and Al-Duhail (Qatar), have each claimed two titles. Other clubs such as Al-Najma (Bahrain), Al-Fahaheel, Al-Salibikhat, Al-Kuwait; as well as Ahli, Mudar, Al-Noor, and Al-Khaleej (Saudi Arabia), along with Al-Rayan and Lekhwiya (Qatar) and Sharjah (UAE) have each won one title.