AR
Qatar Handball Team draw with UAE in friendly match
January 5, 2026
5-January-2026
Qatar Handball Team draw with UAE in friendly match
Doha : The Qatar national handball team played out a 21–21 draw against their UAE counterparts in a friendly match held today at Duhail Sports Hall, as part of their preparations for the Asian Men's Handball Championship, which will take place in Kuwait from 15 to 26 January and serves as a qualifier for the IHF Men's World Championship 2027 in Germany.
Qatar contested today’s match using their second (reserve) team, as part of efforts to prepare all squad members for the upcoming Asian Championship and ensure the availability of the largest possible pool of match-ready players for the continental competition.
A second friendly match between the two teams is scheduled to be held the day after tomorrow (Wednesday), with Qatar set to field their first team. The match will provide an opportunity to assess the team’s level of readiness ahead of the Asian Championship, in which Qatar have been drawn into Group A alongside South Korea and Oman. Group B includes Bahrain, Iraq, China, and Jordan, while Group C features Kuwait, the UAE, Hong Kong, and India. Group D comprises Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the main round, which will feature eight teams divided into two groups playing a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, in addition to securing direct qualification for the 2027 World Championship.
The Qatar national handball team are aiming to defend the Asian title they have won in the last six editions and to qualify for the World Championship for the 11th time in their history. Their best-ever finish at the World Championship came at the Qatar 2015 edition, where they claimed the silver medal.
Qatar were crowned champions of the most recent 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship, held in Bahrain last year, after defeating Japan 30–24 in the final.
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