Kuwait city: The 28th edition of the Asian Men's Club League Handball Championship, a qualifying tournament for the IHF Men's Super Globe, will commence on Saturday in Kuwait, running through June 17. Seven clubs are set to compete in this year's tournament, including Kuwait SC and Burgan SC from Kuwait, Al Sharjah from the United Arab Emirates, Al Najma from Bahrain, Al Khaleej from Saudi Arabia, and Qatari representatives Al Duhail and Al Arabi.
According to Qatar News Agency, both Qatari teams have high ambitions of claiming the continental title and securing qualification for the Super Globe in Egypt. The championship will be conducted in a single round-robin format, making each match crucial from the outset.
Qatar's teams arrive in Kuwait well-prepared, with squads possessing significant international experience. They aim to maintain Qatar's prominence in Asian handball, bring the continental crown back to Doha, and earn the right to represent Asia at the Club World Championship.
Al Duhail and Al Arabi will kick off their campaigns on Saturday. Al Duhail faces a challenging start against Kuwait's Burgan SC, followed by a match with Bahrain's Al Najma on Monday. They will then play against hosts Kuwait SC on Wednesday, meet Al Sharjah on Thursday, and conclude the preliminary stage against Al Khaleej on Friday.
Al Arabi begins their campaign against hosts Kuwait SC on Saturday, followed by matches against Saudi Arabia's Al Khaleej on Sunday and Burgan SC on Monday. Their preliminary-round schedule continues with games against Al Najma on Thursday and Al Sharjah on Friday.
A key highlight is expected on June 14, when Al Arabi and Al Duhail face off in an all-Qatari showdown in the final matchday of the preliminary stage. This anticipated derby could be crucial in determining the top positions in the standings and the final rankings of the four teams advancing to the semifinals.
The tournament schedule includes two official rest days for all teams on June 10 and June 13, allowing players to recover before the competition's decisive stages.