Qatar handball team to face Saudi Arabia in friendly

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December 14, 2025
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14-December-2025

Qatar handball team to face Saudi Arabia in friendly

Doha: The Qatari national handball team will face their Saudi counterparts tomorrow, Monday, at the Al Duhail Sports Hall, in the first friendly match between the two sides as part of their preparations for the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship. The tournament will be held in Kuwait from 15 to 26 January and also serves as a qualifier for the 2027 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship in Germany.

The Qatari and Saudi teams are also scheduled to meet in a second friendly match next Wednesday.

The Qatari team are aiming to reach peak readiness ahead of the Asian Championship, with the draw placing them in 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 competing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, in addition to securing direct qualification for the 2027 World Championship.

The Qatari handball team will be seeking to retain the Asian title they have won in the past six editions and to qualify for the World Championship for the 11th time in their history. Their best-ever result at the World Championship remains a runners-up finish at the Qatar 2015 edition.

Qatar claimed the title of the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship, held in Bahrain last year, after defeating Japan 30–24 in the final.