By Hamad Al-Shammari KUWAIT, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- The 22nd Asian Men's Handball Championship, to be held in Kuwait, will be a distinctly different edition in terms of technical, organizational and competitive standards, Kuwaiti sport analysts and national team coaches said Tuesday.
The tournament, which also serves as qualifiers for the 2027 IHF World Championship - to be hosted by Germany, will be hosted by Kuwait from January 15 to 29.
Coach Hussain Habib told KUNA that the 2026 Asian Championship was expected to witness a high technical level, making it difficult to predict potential first place teams, though Qatar, Japan and Bahrain appear strongest in the title race.
He added that competition for the fourth World Championship qualification spot could be fierce between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Habib explained that while Kuwait national team's results in the friendly matches and the level of performance in the Islamic Solidarity Championship were "not reassuring," the fans will be a great additional incentive for the players on court, expressing hope that the Blue team would qualify for the World Championship once again.
He also highlighted Saudi Arabia's team significant development in recent years, alongside a resilient Japanese side that could make a surprise and contend for the title.
Meanwhile, analyst and national coach Khaled Melhem said all 15 participating teams are preparing at full strength given the importance of securing one of the four World Championship qualification spots for the 2027 IHF World Championship in Germany.
He identified Qatar as the strongest title contender, followed by Bahrain, Japan and South Korea, while noting Kuwait's growing chances due to improvement in the technical performance of the team and anticipated strong Kuwaiti fans support.
Melhem added that Saudi Arabia is among the most improved teams after winning the Islamic Solidarity Games, alongside strong fans from the UAE and China, promising an exciting high-level tournament. He stressed that the increased number of teams would raise competition intensity and overall quality.
For his part, coach Dr. Ahmad Folath told KUNA that the championship would mark a technical leap due to the development of Asian teams and Kuwait's strong organizational and media preparations, as demonstrated by Kuwait Handball Association in previous events.
He pointed to the progress of teams such as Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Japan, Iran and Iraq, expecting strong and entertaining matches at Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sport Center.
Folath named Qatar as the leading title favorite, while noting Kuwait's chances remain valid despite being in a rebuilding phase.
Coach Waleed Salmeen also told KUNA that this edition would surpass previous tournaments in level due to intensive preparations of all the participating teams, particularly the defending champion Qatar, and stressed that Kuwait's team is capable of securing a World Championship qualification spot. (end) hms.seo