A Kuwaiti player makes a goal attempt during the semifinals match between Kuwait and Qatar.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 28: The 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship, serving as the 2024 World Cup qualifiers in Germany, concludes today at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex. Kuwait will face Japan at 4:00 p.m. in the bronze medal match, ahead of the final at 6:00 p.m. between defending champion Qatar and Bahrain. Earlier, China will meet Hong Kong at 2:00 p.m. to decide ninth and tenth place.

In the tournament standings so far, South Korea finished fifth, Saudi Arabia sixth, Iraq seventh, and the UAE eighth.

Bahrain booked a spot in the final with a 35–25 semifinal win over Japan and aims to claim its first Asian Championship title. Qatar advanced to the final after a thrilling 27–26 extra-time victory over Kuwait, seeking its seventh continental crown.

Kuwait’s bronze medal showdown with Japan carries its own significance. The “Azraq” has secured third place four times in the history of the championship—in 1979, 1983, 1987, and 1989.

South Korea holds the record for the most Asian titles with nine, followed by Qatar with six, Kuwait with four, and Japan with two.

The Asian representatives for the 2027 World Cup in Germany will be Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Japan.

This marks the fourth time Kuwait has hosted the Asian Championship, following editions in 1977, 1995, and 2020. Kuwait’s national team has lifted the Asian title four times: in 1995, 2002, 2004, and 2006.

Mishal Al-Qabandi, Assistant Treasurer of the Kuwait Handball Federation and Head of the Media Committee for the championship, praised the event’s success, highlighting both the extensive media coverage from Gulf, Arab, and Asian outlets and the tournament’s smooth organization.

Al-Qabandi emphasized that such success was made possible thanks to strong government support and the dedication of the federation’s staff and committees.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff