A file photo of players in action.

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 31: The draw for the 40th Arab Handball Clubs Championship for League and Cup Winners will take place this evening at 7:00 p.m. at Al-Raya Hotel. The tournament, hosted by Kuwait from September 12 to 22, will feature leading clubs including Kuwait SC, Salmiya, Sulaibikhat, Shabab Al-Riyadi, Al-Nawaeir and Al-Talia (Syria), Al-Ahli Bank of Egypt, Al-Ahli and Qatar SC (Qatar), and Al-Hashd (Iraq). The event will be overseen by the Arab Handball Federation.

Kuwait Club, the reigning champion, will be chasing a third consecutive title, having won the last two editions — first against Egypt’s Zamalek in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and most recently against Salmiya in Kuwait.

To prepare for the championship, the Kuwaiti clubs organized overseas training camps: Kuwait Club and Sulaibikhat trained in Bosnia, while Kazma held its camp in Izmit, Turkey.

The teams also boosted their rosters with international signings. Kuwait Club added Montenegrin Vladan Lipovina and Portuguese Victor Iturriza, joining Qatari star Frankis Marzo, under the guidance of Algerian coach Said Hejazi.

Salmiya, coached by Serbian Bozo, strengthened its squad with Slovenian Lapajne Ganos, alongside Tunisian duo Anouar Ben Abdallah and Mohamed Farad.

Sulaibikhat, led by Kuwaiti coach Waleed Salmin, brought in French-Algerian Nouri Ben Halima and Portuguese Goncalo Ribeiro.

Meanwhile, Salmiya has returned from its training camp in Doha, while Al-Arabi concluded preparations in Bosnia. Both teams are now shifting focus to the 58th edition of the Premier League, which kicks off tomorrow.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff