Bahrain Face Tough Asian Handball Draws

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain have been drawn into Group A of the 19th Asian Men’s Junior (U21) Handball Championship, following the official announcement by the Asian Handball Federation. The tournament will be held in Chuzhou, China, from July 15 to 26, and will also double as qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship in North Macedonia, with the top four teams securing places at the global event.

A total of 13 teams will compete, including strong contenders such as Japan, Iran, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, and hosts China. Bahrain’s inclusion in Pot 1 alongside China, Japan, and South Korea reflects their strong regional standing after recent performances, including a third-place finish in the previous edition held in Jordan in 2024. Japan won that tournament, with South Korea finishing runners-up.

The official draw for both the U21 and U19 Asian Championships took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, at the Hotel Royal Tulip, in the presence of Asian Handball Federation President Mr. Bader Mohammed Al-Theyab and representatives of participating nations.

In the U21 competition, Bahrain have been placed in Group A alongside hosts China, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong-China. Group B features a highly competitive field including Japan, Republic of Korea, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, India, and the United Arab Emirates.

Looking ahead to the tournament, Bahrain’s junior team has already begun preparations under head coach Husam Madan and assistant coach Jaafar Abdulqadir. The 26-player squad has been selected from clubs across the Kingdom, bringing together a wide pool of talent from Bahrain’s domestic league.

The squad features players from several clubs. From Al Ahli are Mehdi Jaffar, Ahmed Eid, and Mohammed Tarada. Al Ettifaq contributes Mohammed Haitham, Ali Fayed, Ali Mahdi, and Mohammed Zuhair. Al Shabab is represented by Hussain Al Zaimoor, while Al Tadamun includes Hassan Khatam. From Al Dair come Fadhel Abbas, Mohammed Jaffer, Mohammed Isa, and Wadee Hilal. Barbar provides Haider Mohammed, Mahmood Jalil, Salman Al Showaikh, Sayed Majid Al Muhafdha, Qassim Sabt, and Ahmed Abdullah. Finally, Tubli is represented by Mohammed Shamlooh, Jassim Mohammed, and Sayed Ahmed Al Falahi, while Samaheej contributes Abudhir Jaffar, Ali Sami, Abbas Hussain, and Ahmed Al Samaheeji.

As part of their build-up, the team recently completed a week-long training camp in Doha, hosted by the Qatar Handball Association, featuring friendly matches aimed at improving tactical sharpness and cohesion ahead of the competition.

Attention will later turn to the 11th Asian Men’s Youth (U19) Handball Championship, scheduled to take place in Andijan, Uzbekistan, from August 10 to 21. Like the U21 event, it will serve as qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship.

In the U19 draw, Bahrain have been placed in Group B alongside Japan, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong-China, while Group A consists of Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Chinese Taipei, and China.