Najma add Jassim Khamis ahead of Asian campaign

TDT | Manama

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Bahrain’s Al Najma have further strengthened their squad ahead of the 28th Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship by securing the services of Bahrain international Jassim Khamis on loan from Al Shabab for the continental competition, which gets underway in Kuwait this week.

The move represents the latest step in Najma’s preparations for the tournament as the Bahraini champions target a third Asian club title and a place at the 2026 IHF Men’s Club World Championship in Egypt.

Khamis is widely regarded as one of Bahrain’s leading handball players and arrives with extensive experience at both club and international level. A key performer for Al Shabab in recent seasons and a regular member of the Bahrain national team, he is expected to add quality and depth to Najma’s squad during what promises to be a demanding campaign.

His arrival continues an active recruitment drive by the club in the build-up to the championship. Najma have already confirmed the loan signings of Al Dair goalkeeper Hesham Isa, while also strengthening their roster with European professionals Uros Mitrovic of Serbia, Montenegro’s Radojica Cepic, and Portuguese player Daniel Neves.

The club will also enter the competition under new leadership following the appointment of Bahraini coach Abdulrahman Mohamed. He succeeds Ali Al Falahi, who guided Najma to the 2024–25 Khalid bin Hamad Bahrain Handball League title before his departure.

Najma head into the tournament as one of Bahrain’s most successful clubs on the continental stage. They lifted the Asian title in 2017 and 2023, finished runners-up in 2015 and 2022, and also claimed the bronze medal in 2001.

This year’s championship will feature a revised format following the withdrawal of China’s CHA. The change reduces the field to seven teams and prompted the Asian Handball Federation to abandon the original group-stage system in favour of a single round-robin preliminary phase.

Under the revised format, all seven teams will compete in one standings table, with the top four sides advancing to the semi-finals. The first-placed team will face the fourth-placed side, while second and third will meet in the other semi-final. The championship match and bronze-medal play-off are scheduled for June 17.

Najma will begin their campaign against hosts Kuwait Sports Club on Sunday at 6pm Bahrain time before facing Qatar’s Al Duhail on Monday at 4pm.

They will then take on Sharjah of the UAE on Wednesday at 8pm, followed by matches against Qatar’s Al Arabi on June 11 at 4pm, Kuwait’s Burgan on June 12 at 4pm, and Saudi Arabia’s Khaleej Club on June 14 at 8pm.