Kuwait City: The 10th Arab Men's Handball Cup commenced in Kuwait, marking its return after a 20-year hiatus. The tournament, scheduled from May 5-11, kicked off Monday featuring three matches: Iraq versus Bahrain, Qatar versus Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait versus Morocco.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the competition will see participation from nine teams, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. The teams are divided into three groups of three, with the winners of each group and the highest-ranking second-place team advancing to the semi-finals.
Kuwait's national team, coached by newly appointed Icelandic coach Aron Kristiansson, has a roster of 23 players. Kristiansson, who is familiar with Kuwait from previous visits, recently started preparations for the Arab Cup with the national team players. He acknowledged the short preparation period to fully understand the players' capabilities.
The draw placed Kuwait in Group C along with the UAE and Morocco. Group B includes Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia, while Group A comprises Bahrain, Egypt, and Iraq. The tournament is organized under the auspices of the Arab Handball Federation (AHF), founded in March 1975 and headquartered in Riyadh. The AHF, affiliated with the International Handball Federation (IHF), is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.