Players battling for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 6: The final match of the 56th edition of the Handball Federation Cup, postponed from the 2023-2024 season, will take place this evening at 6:30 pm at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex Hall. The showdown features reigning champions Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi, with a match to determine third and fourth place between Al-Salmiya and Kazma scheduled at 5:00 pm.

Kuwait Club secured its spot in the final by defeating Al-Salmiya 30-24 in the semifinals, while Al-Arabi advanced after overcoming Kazma 27-22. Coached by national coach Haitham Al-Rashidi, Kuwait Club is aiming to complete a "treble" this season, having already claimed the league and Super Cup titles, along with the Arab Clubs Championship last month. The club has dominated the Handball Federation Cup for the past decade, winning 10 consecutive titles and seeking their 11th straight victory tonight.

On the other side, Al-Arabi, under the guidance of Coach Dr. Ahmed Foulad, is determined to end their title drought. Its last major win was the Premier League title in the 2011-2012 season, and its most recent Handball Cup victory came in 2009-2010. Having lost to Kuwait Club in the cup finals of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, Al-Arabi is eager for revenge and aims to break Kuwait Club's stronghold on local championships since 2013-2014. Al-Arabi once dominated the Handball Federation Cup, winning 10 titles since the competition began in 1966-1967, but Kuwait SC has since surpassed them with 13 titles, including the last 10 in a row.

Other clubs with notable Handball Federation Cup victories include Al-Salmiya and Kazma with eight titles each, Al-Qadisiya with seven, Khaitan with four, Al-Fahaheel with three, and Al-Sulaibikhat with two.

Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi both earned their places in the final of the 56th Handball Cup. Kuwait Club triumphed over Al-Salmiya for the third time in 20 days, having previously beaten them twice during the 39th Arab Clubs Championship held recently in Kuwait. Kuwait Club player Saif Al-Adwani was named the best player in the semifinal match.

Meanwhile, Al-Arabi surprised Kazma with an impressive performance, widely regarded as one of their best in recent years. Al-Arabi goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Farhan shined, and player Ali Naseer was awarded the best player of the match, a prize sponsored by the sons of the late Muhammad Zaid Al-Otaibi.

Kuwait Club’s head coach, Haitham Al-Rashidi, emphasized that finals are about winning, not just playing. He stressed the importance of maintaining focus from the first minute until the final whistle, saying, "We aim to win the title and represent Kuwaiti handball in the best possible way." Al-Arabi’s coach, Dr. Ahmed Foulad, expressed confidence in his team, stating that handball rewards hard work and determination. He noted the players' ambition and determination to win, acknowledging the difficulty of the final match but affirming that Al-Arabi is capable of clinching the title.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff