Latest news with #KuwaitHandballAssociation
Arab Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait U-19 handball team heads to Europe for World Cup preparations
KUWAIT CITY, July 13: The delegation of Kuwait's junior national handball team departed this morning for Croatia and Slovenia to begin an external training camp in preparation for the 2025 IHF Men's Youth (U-19) World Championship set to take place in Cairo, Egypt, from August 6 to 16. The delegation is led by Kuwait Handball Association Secretary General Qaid Al-Adwani and includes Board Member Mishaal Al-Qabandi, National Teams Technical Director Faisal Saywan, Team Manager Yousef Al-Shaheen, and the full technical staff headed by Danish coach Heine, along with assistant national coach Saud Mufreh and goalkeeper coach Marwan Maqayez. The camp includes 22 players. Speaking ahead of departure, Faisal Saywan praised the players for their dedication during the first phase of preparation, which took place locally through intensive training sessions. He also highlighted the inclusion of several younger players into the junior squad—a move aimed at nurturing talent and strengthening the overall development pipeline for Kuwaiti handball across all age groups. The European training camp is expected to play a key role in sharpening the team's competitive edge ahead of the World Championship in Cairo.
Arab Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Handball Premier League to start September 2
KUWAIT CITY, July 8: The Kuwait Handball Association (KHA) has officially released the schedule for the 2025–2026 handball season, set to begin in early September with competitions across multiple age categories and divisions. The Men's Premier League will commence on September 2 with the participation of eight clubs. Teams will be distributed into the match schedule via a lottery draw. The league format includes a new regulation that allows each team to register three professional players per match, although only two may be on the court at any time, with the third listed on the bench. The team finishing in 8th place will be automatically relegated to the First Division. The 7th-place team will compete in a playoff match against the second-place team from the First Division to decide promotion or relegation. The First Division League, which includes participation from youth teams, will begin on September 4. The league will follow a round-robin format, with each team facing its opponents four times during the season. The full schedule for the youth and junior categories includes: Junior League: Begins September 19 Youth League: Begins September 20 Junior (B) League: Begins November 4 Youth League: Begins November 5 These age-group leagues are part of the Federation's ongoing development strategy to nurture local talent and expand the competition base across all levels.
Arab Times
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Egypt coach praises Kuwait's world-class organization of 10th Arab Handball Cup
KUWAIT CITY, May 5: The tenth edition of the Arab Handball Cup, hosted by Kuwait until May 11, continues today with three exciting group stage matches in the second round. Tunisia will face Qatar in Group B at 3:00 pm. At 5:00 pm, Morocco takes on the UAE in a Group C clash. The day concludes at 7:00 pm with a Group A showdown between Egypt and Iraq. Talal Al-Otaibi, member of the Kuwait Handball Association and the Executive Office of the Arab Handball Federation, praised the level of competition and the enthusiasm shown by all participating Arab nations. Al-Otaibi noted that the technical performance is expected to rise in the second round, as teams intensify preparations for upcoming regional and international tournaments. He expressed gratitude to Kuwait's sports leadership, particularly Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi and Acting Director of the Public Authority for Sports Bashar Abdullah, for their commitment to supporting the tournament. He also thanked the Arab Handball Federation for entrusting Kuwait with hosting duties. Yousef Al-Muallem, Director of National Teams at the Qatar Handball Federation, confirmed that Al-Annabi came with a balanced team of youth and experience, aiming to compete seriously for the championship title. He acknowledged the strength of the opposition and pledged that his players would give their best. Ahmed Al-Najem, administrator of the Bahraini national team, said the team is using the Arab Championship as key preparation for the Asian Cup. He noted the technical staff is closely monitoring player performance and readiness. Magdy Abu Al-Majd, coach of the Egyptian youth team, praised Kuwait's exceptional organization and hospitality, citing it as one of the reasons behind Egypt's participation. 'Kuwait has the entire necessary infrastructure, and the tournament's preparation is top-tier,' Abu Al-Majd said. 'It feels like we're participating in a World Cup-level event.'
Arab Times
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait eyes glory as 10th Arab Handball Championship gets underway
KUWAIT CITY, May 4: The 10th edition of the Arab Men's Handball Championship officially begins today at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex Hall in Sabah Al-Salem. The tournament, running through May 11, features nine participating teams divided into three groups: Group A: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq Group C: Kuwait, UAE, Morocco Group B: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia According to tournament regulations, the top team from each group and the best second-placed team will qualify for the semi-finals. The championship opens with three first-round clashes: Iraq vs. Bahrain at 3:00 pm Qatar vs. Saudi Arabia at 5:00 pm Kuwait vs. Morocco at 7:00 pm The second and third rounds of the preliminary stage will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Tournament Director and Secretary General of the Kuwait Handball Association, Qaid Al-Adwani, urged fans to rally behind the national team in its first match of the tournament. 'We are proud to host the 10th Arab Men's Handball Championship on Kuwaiti soil once again,' Al-Adwani said. 'This event reflects the unwavering support of our political leadership, the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and the Public Authority for Sports.' He emphasized the national team's recent achievements and the importance of fan support ahead of the upcoming Asian Championship, which will serve as the qualifier for the 2027 World Cup, also to be hosted by Kuwait. Al-Adwani also praised Kuwait's long-standing legacy in organizing major regional and continental sports events. He thanked the organizing committees for their dedicated efforts over the past weeks and expressed his hope for a successful and well-run tournament. This is the first Arab Men's Handball Championship since 2002. Past winners include: Egypt: 1975, 1977 Kuwait: 1979, 1988 Tunisia: 1986, 1993 Saudi Arabia: 1988 Algeria: 2000 Bahrain: 2002 Kuwait aims to recapture glory as the championship returns to the "Land of Friendship and Peace."
Arab Times
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Shahoumi honors youth team for World Cup qualification
KUWAIT CITY, April 22: Former President of the Kuwait Handball Association, Ahmed Al-Shahoumi, honored the national youth handball team in celebration of its qualification for the World Cup finals. He emphasized that recognizing such achievements is a national responsibility, one that plays a vital role in motivating young athletes to continue striving for excellence and to proudly represent Kuwait on the international stage. Al-Shahoumi stated, 'I have full confidence in the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Handball Association, as well as in the players and the technical and administrative staff. I know they will exert every effort to support this promising team. My message to them is clear: simply reaching the World Cup finals should no longer be seen as the ultimate goal. We must now aim higher—to consistently compete on global platforms.' He continued, 'To the players, I say this: do not fall into the trap of believing that merely playing against international teams is the achievement. You are just as capable, talented, and deserving as any opponent you will face. The first key to success is believing in yourselves.' For his part, Qaid Al-Adwani, Secretary General of the Kuwait Handball Federation, expressed his gratitude for Al-Shahoumi's unwavering support, stating, 'We sincerely thank Ahmed Al-Shahoumi for standing by our national teams and players. His commitment to Kuwaiti handball is well known and deeply appreciated.' He added, 'We pledge to do everything within our power to meet expectations and represent Kuwait honorably at the World Cup finals.'
