Qatar Set to Face Tough Challenge at 29th World Handball Championship

Qatar’s national handball team is gearing up for a tough opening match at the 29th World Handball Championship, with a challenging encounter against world champions France scheduled for today. The Asian giants, runners-up at the 2015 World Championship, are aiming to improve on their performance from last year, where they finished in 22nd place.

Qatar’s campaign will begin with a match against Austria on January 16, followed by a final preliminary round fixture against Kuwait on January 18. In 2015, Qatar narrowly lost to France in the final, a 25-22 defeat on home soil that secured them silver.

The tournament, which is being jointly hosted by Croatia, Denmark, and Norway, will run until February 2. On Monday, Ahmed al-Shaabi, President of the Qatar Handball Federation (QHF), was present to observe the team’s preparations under new coach Veselin Vujovic, who took over last August.

Khalifa al-Jassim, Director of the Qatar National Teams, expressed confidence in the team’s readiness but acknowledged the challenges ahead. “We are aware that the matches will not be easy, especially with France in our group and Austria and Kuwait also strong competitors,” al-Jassim said. “However, we have great confidence in our players.”

As part of their preparations, Qatar played five friendly matches, including games against Slovenia and Algeria. While al-Jassim highlighted the difficulty of facing France, he emphasized the importance of focusing on one match at a time. “We are confident in the team’s ability, and we have prepared them well,” he added.

The team’s lineup for the opening match will be decided by Vujovic, who has a wealth of international experience, including a bronze medal as Slovenia’s coach at the 2017 World Championship. His appointment came after Goran Djokic, who had led Qatar to qualification for the 2025 World Cup, stepped down.

Qatar’s last major competition was the 2024 Asian Championship, where they secured their sixth consecutive title by defeating Japan in the final. However, the team’s struggles at the 2023 World Championship were evident, as they ended in 22nd place, marking their second-worst result at the global event.

Despite the challenges, Vujovic remains optimistic about Qatar’s future in international handball. “The circumstances are different, but I accepted this challenge, and I am determined to improve Qatar’s standing,” Vujovic said when he was appointed last year.

This year’s World Championship marks Qatar’s 10th appearance at the tournament, following a series of participations in various countries since 2003. The team is hopeful that their experience, coupled with Vujovic’s leadership, will result in a stronger performance this time around.