Asian beach handball opens with spectacular ceremony
MUSCAT, May 6
The 10th AHF Asian Men's and Women's Beach Handball Championship made a spectacular start in Muscat following the grand opening ceremony at sands court in the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Tuesday night. The championship, which is acting as the qualifiers for the 2026 IHF Men's and Women's Beach Handball World Championships, will run in Muscat until May 15 in presence of nine teams for Men's competition distributed into two groups while one group for women's competition including four teams.
Khalid Mohammed al Zubair, the former Oman Olympic Committee chairman and Chairman of Oman International Development and Investment Company (Ominvest), officially announced the start of the tournament in presence of Moosa Khamis al Balushi, Chairman of Oman Handball Association (OHA) and Head of the Organising Committee, Bader Dhiyab, Vice-President of the International Handball Federation (IHF) and Treasurer of the Asian Handball Federation (AHF), members of the OHA board, officials from AHF, heads of participating sports federations, and national team delegations.
The matchday two on Wednesday will see three matches. Jordan will meet the Philippines in Group B at 6 pm while Pakistan will take on Iran in the same group. Saudi Arabia will eye for strong start against Hong Kong in Group A at 7 pm.
The top four in each group will secure slots directly to the quarterfinals on May 12. The semifinals are scheduled for May 13 while the final is on May 15. The women's competition includes four teams playing each other twice in a league round-robin format across 12 games in total.
Asian beach handball opening2
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The OHA chairman in his welcome speech said that everyone is delighted to extend the warmest welcome to all participants here in beautiful city of Muscat. 'Oman has set with a perfect venue for such a prestigious Asian event. The city's tourism-friendly climate, natural beaches and infrastructure have made it an ideal destination for hosting major tournaments, reflecting Oman's continuous advancement in the sporting field. Hosting this championship affirms Oman's leadership in organising international sports events and reinforces its strategic role as a prime hub for beach sports.'
'Our beaches have long been a captivating destination for thrilling and skillful sports like beach handball. Oman previously hosted the IHF World Championship, and this event once again highlights the broader impact of sports, extending beyond competition to tourism, economic stimulation, and global promotion of Oman as an ideal beach sports destination,' he concluded.
Bader Dhiyab, Vice-President of IHF and Treasurer of the AHF, delivered a speech on behalf of the AHF: 'I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for the success of the 10th AHF Asian Men's and Women's Beach Handball Championship – Qualifiers for the 2026 IHF Beach Handball World Championship. This major Asian gathering is one of the AHF's key objectives, bringing together youth from across Asia.'
'We wish all participating teams the best of luck and extend sincere thanks to the Oman Handball Association for their tremendous efforts in organising this significant event. We also recognise the outstanding work of Omani youth in ensuring the success of this and other international championships.'
The ceremony featured a visual presentation highlighting Oman's history of hosting major beach handball tournaments and the national team's achievements. This was followed by a traditional artistic performance titled 'Our Heritage, Our Pride – and on the Sands Lies Our Glory'. The ceremony concluded with the official declaration of the tournament's opening by the chief guest.
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