Bahrain’s group for handball worlds complete

TDT | Manama                                              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s group stage opponents in the 28th International Handball Federation (IHF) Men’s Handball World Championship are now complete, following the qualification of Tunisia for the global competition, taking place next year and co-hosted by Poland and Sweden.

The nationals were drawn earlier this month in Group H alongside Denmark, Belgium and a to-be-determined team from the African Men’s Handball Championship, which came to a conclusion on Monday. That nation has turned out to be Tunisia, who finished their continental competition in fourth position overall to earn their spot in the group.

Five teams in all from Africa came away with their berths in the worlds. The worlds are scheduled to be held early next year from January 11 to 29, to be hosted across nine Polish and Swede cities. Thirty-two nations from all across the globe, representing five confederations, are taking part. They have been divided into eight groups for the tournament’s preliminary stage.

The Bahrainis are one of five countries from Asia. They qualified as the runners-up from the continental championship held earlier this year. In Bahrain’s group, Denmark are the heavy favourites, being the defending world champions, while Belgium are making their first-ever appearance at the worlds.

Next year’s world championship will see the top three teams from each of the eight groups move on to the main round, where they will be divided into four further groups of six teams apiece. The other eight squads will vie for the President’s Cup.

The upcoming worlds will mark Bahrain’s fifth appearance—and fourth straight—at the IHF’s premier event. The nationals had previously also played in the 2011, 2017, 2019 and 2021 editions.