KUWAIT CITY, May 19: The Kuwait Club is set to put forward a bid to host the 39th Arab League and Cup Champions Club Championship in 2024, scheduled from September 15 to 25. Earlier this month, on the 5th, the Al-Arabi Club also expressed its interest in hosting the tournament in its newly constructed hall.

The Arab Handball Federation recently invited applications to organize the tournament, with the previous edition hosted by the Kuwait Club. If Kuwait Club wins the bid, there's a possibility that the number of Kuwaiti teams participating in the tournament may increase to three, pending approval from the General Sports Authority. The Kuwait Club has already secured its place as the defending champion in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Khaled Melhem, assistant coach of the first handball team at Burgan National Club, tendered his resignation to the governing body following the conclusion of the general handball league, "The Merger." Melhem cited personal circumstances beyond his control as the reason for his resignation, expressing gratitude to the Burgan Club's Board of Directors for their trust during his ten-year tenure.

In other news, the Referees Committee of the Handball Federation has opted to enlist the services of Gulf and foreign referees for Premier League matches, which commenced yesterday and will run until June 9th. This decision aims to foster collaboration between the Kuwaiti Handball Federation and its counterparts in the Gulf and abroad to enhance the game's development across all aspects.

Today, the first division will feature two matches: Khaitan will face Yarmouk at 5:00 pm, followed by Al-Fahaheel against Al-Qurain at 6:30 pm. The inaugural round of the first division saw Al-Sulaibikhat defeat Al-Sahel 41-18 and Al-Tadamon secure victory over Al-Tadamon 35-25.

Khaled El Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff