Bahrain drawn into tough GCC Games group in Doha

TDT | Manama

Email : Hasan@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s senior men’s handball team heads into the 4th GCC Games as one of the leading contenders following yesterday’s draw in Doha, Qatar.

The regional event runs from May 11 to 22 and brings together all six GCC nations, with handball expected to be among the most competitive disciplines.

The Kingdom’s representatives face a demanding group stage, opening against Kuwait on May 15 before meeting Oman on May 17 and Saudi Arabia on May 19. They then take on hosts Qatar on May 20 in a rematch of the Asian final, before concluding their campaign against the United Arab Emirates on May 21.

With the schedule confirmed, attention immediately turns to preparation. The Bahrain Handball Federation has named a 25-player squad that has already begun training under head coach Robert Hedin at the BHF Arena in Um Al Hassam.

The squad has a settled look heading into the tournament, with several familiar names forming its core.

Hussain Al Sayyad, Mohammed Abdulhussain and Mohammed Habib Ahmed are expected to shoulder much of the leadership responsibility. They are supported by a wider group including Hassan Madan, Jassim Khamis, Ahmed Redha, Salman Alshowaikh, Ali Al Asheeri and Qassim Qambar.

With five matches in seven days, Bahrain will need to lean heavily on squad depth. Rotation and defensive discipline could prove decisive over the course of the group stage.

Bahrain arrive in Doha on the back of a landmark year, having reached the podium in every GCC Games edition, winning gold in 2011 and silver in 2015 and 2022.

More significantly, they claimed their first continental title earlier this year by defeating Qatar in the Asian Men’s Handball Championship final, securing qualification for the 2027 IHF World Championship in Germany. That breakthrough in Kuwait has shifted expectations, placing them firmly among the teams to beat.

The rematch with Qatar stands out as the key fixture of the group stage, carrying both competitive and psychological weight. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also represent traditional threats in a tightly balanced group.

The tournament will be staged across multiple venues in Doha, including Aspire Dome, Qatar Sports Club, Al Gharafa SC, Al Arabi SC, and the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club.

Bahrain enters the competition not as outsiders, but as proven champions expected to deliver once again.