Al-Ghashi, Al-Aliwat, and Al-Hajri take part in the draw ceremony.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 2: The draw for the 40th Arab Club Championship for League and Cup Winners in handball was held at Al-Raya Hotel, placing host club Kuwait Club in Group A alongside Qatar’s Al-Ahli, Iraq’s Naft Al-Basra, and fellow Kuwaiti side Kazma. The tournament will take place from September 12 to 22 at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Indoor Hall Complex.

Group B features Al-Ahly Bank of Egypt, Iraq’s Al-Hashd, Qatar SC, Kuwait’s Al-Sulaibikhat and Al-Shabab, and Syria’s Al-Nawaeir.

The draw ceremony was overseen by Arab Handball Federation Secretary General Fakher Al-Ghashi, Competitions Committee member Ali Al-Alouyat, and Tournament Director Samih Al-Hajri, in the presence of club representatives, including Hussein Sioan (Al-Sulaibikhat) and Hamza Al-Wazzan (Kazma). Six international refereeing teams from Hungary, France, Poland, Kuwait, Egypt, and Qatar will officiate the matches.

Welcoming the participants, Samih Al-Hajri said Kuwait was proud to host the championship for the second consecutive year:

“The board of directors, under the leadership of Khaled Al-Ghanim, has ensured all obstacles to organizing the event are removed and that preparations are completed at the highest level. This reflects Kuwait’s commitment and passion for hosting such a prestigious Arab sporting event.”

He added that admission to all matches will be free of charge, describing fan presence as crucial to the championship's success.

Arab Handball Federation official Ali Al-Alouyat confirmed that the event promises to be special, especially following the success of last year’s edition in Kuwait. He explained that each club will register 28 players, with the top four from each group qualifying for the quarterfinals.

Al-Sulaibikhat team manager Hussein Sioan described the draw as balanced and expressed confidence in the Kuwaiti teams’ chances of progressing to the last eight. He also highlighted Al-Sulaibikhat’s return to international competition after a 15-year absence, thanking the Arab Federation and Kuwait SC for their efforts.

Meanwhile, Qutaiba Nader, Vice President of the Iraqi Handball Federation, welcomed the participation of Al-Hashd and Naft Al-Basra, saying:

“We fully support the Iraqi teams and hope they will compete strongly. We also look forward to a high-level competition that reflects the true strength of Arab handball.”

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff