A file photo of players fighting for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, June 26: The curtain falls on the 2024–2025 handball season tomorrow with the final match of the 57th Kuwait Handball Association Cup, taking place at Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex. The highly anticipated showdown will see defending champion Kuwait Club faces Al-Qadsiya in a battle for glory at 6:30 pm. The third-place match between Al-Salmiya and Kazma will precede the final at 5:00 pm.

Kuwait Club, known as the Whites, enters the final with an unmatched record—11 consecutive Federation Cup titles and a tournament-leading 14 titles overall. They aim to extend their dominance and clinch a historic 12th straight championship, completing a domestic treble after securing both the Super Cup and the Premier League titles this season.

On the other hand, Al-Qadsiya seeks to reclaim past glory. It last lifted the Association Cup in the 2012–2013 season, when it defeated Al-Qurain in the final, and currently holds seven titles.

Al-Qadsiya's journey to the final has been one of resilience. After a difficult start in the merger league and subsequent relegation to the First Division, the club turned things around under Tunisian coach Amin Al-Qafsi, finishing top of the division. In the Federation Cup, they defeated Al-Fahaheel 33–24 in the preliminary round, and then edged Burgan 30–28 in the quarterfinals. Their semifinal victory came dramatically, beating Kazma 34–33.

Kuwait Club, under the guidance of Algerian coach Saeed Hijazi, began their campaign directly in the quarterfinals as defending champions. They dispatched Al-Qurain 38–30, followed by a convincing 38–24 win over Al-Salmiya in the semifinals to reach yet another final.

Kuwait Club Handball Director Sameh Al-Hajri confirmed the team is fully prepared for the final.

“The technical, administrative, and medical staff, along with the players, are all ready. We hope to win the title for the 12th straight season and continue to prove Kuwait Club's strength in handball,” he said.

The squad is at full strength, except for Saif Al-Adwani, who is sidelined for a month with a partial ligament tear.

Al-Hajri also commended the unwavering support from the club's Board of Directors, led by President Khaled Al-Ghanim, and praised the efforts of the technical staff despite a demanding season schedule.

Since its inception, the Federation Cup has been held 56 times, with two exceptions during the 1980–1981 and 1990–1991 seasons. Kuwait Club tops the all-time winners list with 14 titles, followed by Al-Arabi (10), Kazma and Al-Salmiya (8 each), Al-Qadsiya (7), Khaitan (4), Fahaheel (3), and Sulaibikhat (2).

As the final approaches, all eyes will be on whether Kuwait can extend their historic run, or if Al-Qadsiya can stage a long-awaited comeback to the top of Kuwaiti handball.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff