Khaled Al Sharji

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 13, (KUNA):  The 2025 IHF Men's Handball World Championship will begin on January 14 across Croatia, Denmark, and Norway, marking Kuwait's return to the prestigious tournament for the first time in 15 years. This is the ninth time Kuwait's national handball team will compete at the world championship, having last participated in 2009.

Reflecting on the team's return, Burgan SC coach Hussain Habib spoke with KUNA, emphasizing the difficulty of Kuwait's group, which features top-tier international teams. He highlighted the challenge posed by the Kuwaiti players' long absence from international competitions, noting that the experience of competing at such a high level is vastly different from previous participations.

Despite these challenges, Habib expressed confidence in the Kuwaiti players, stressing their potential to perform at a level befitting their reputation. He praised the quality of the technical staff, particularly Algerian coach Saeed Hejazi, who led the team to World Cup qualification and has extensive experience managing high-stakes matches. The team also benefited from a training camp that included friendly matches against international teams like Italy and Tunisia.

Al-Salmiya SC handball coach Yaqoub Al-Mousawi also shared his thoughts, acknowledging the difficult draw but emphasizing the importance of gaining experience by playing against world-class players. He praised Coach Hejazi for his deep understanding of the players' capabilities and stressed the need to improve the Kuwaiti league. Al-Mousawi believes this could help shift the national team's mindset from mere participation to competing for top positions, first at the Asian level, and eventually on the global stage.

Dr. Khaled Al-Sharji, former technical director of the Kuwaiti Handball Federation and international lecturer, echoed the sentiment, calling the group "extremely difficult." Kuwait will face France, the 2024 European champions, Qatar, the 2024 Asian champions, and Austria, a team with a strong historical pedigree. Al-Sharji acknowledged that while the technical and physical abilities of Kuwait's players may present a challenge, he remains confident in their dedication and the excellent preparation provided by the coaching staff. He also noted that qualifying for the finals would be a remarkable achievement for Kuwaiti handball.

Sulaibikhat Club coach Waleed Salmeen added that while Kuwait's chances in the tournament are tough, they are not impossible. He expressed full confidence in the players and their abilities to deliver an honorable performance on the world stage. Salmeen emphasized that, with the guidance of Coach Hejazi, the team's focus should be on playing without pressure, especially after a long 15-year absence from such a high-profile competition.

Kuwait has been drawn into Group C for the 2025 IHF Men's Handball World Championship, alongside Austria, France, and Qatar. The team will play Austria on January 14, France on January 16, and Qatar on January 18. The championship will run from January 14 to February 2, with matches held across Croatia, Denmark, and Norway.

Kuwait's history in the IHF Men's Handball World Championship dates back to 1982 when they first participated in West Germany. Since then, the team has competed in several editions, including in Iceland (1995), Egypt (1999), France (2001), Portugal (2003), Tunisia (2005), Germany (2007), and Croatia (2009).