"Homeland Cup" kicks off handball season on 2 September
The event will be held in a knockout format, featuring six teams. Shabab Al Ahli and Sharjah have qualified directly for the semi-finals, while Dibba Al Hisn will face Al Wasl, and Al Nasr will meet Mleiha. The winners will advance to face Shabab Al Ahli and Sharjah, respectively. The competition will conclude on 9 September.
Draw ceremony and attendees
This was announced during the draw ceremony for the new season's competitions, held at the Federation headquarters in Dubai, in the presence of Nasser Salem Al Hammadi, Secretary-General of the Handball Federation, technical expert Eng. Asim Al Saadni, and representatives of the participating clubs.
Men's League launches on 20 September
The Men's League will commence on 20 September with seven teams, played over three rounds. The draw for the first round resulted in the following matchups: Dibba Al Hisn vs. Al Wasl, Shabab Al Ahli vs. Al Dhaid, and Sharjah vs. Al Nasr.
Youth competitions
The draw also included competitions for youth categories: Youth (9 teams), Juniors (10 teams), Cadets (16 teams), and Minors (17 teams). The matches were geographically distributed to facilitate travel and achieve technical objectives.
Expansion and new competitions
Nasser Al Hammadi confirmed that the new season will witness an expansion in the number of teams and the introduction of new competitions, including the Youth Super League, Junior Super League, and associated leagues for men and cadets. He added that the postponed Homeland Cup winner will qualify for the UAE Super Cup match.
National teams participation
He also explained that the Youth national team will participate in the Men's League, and the Junior national team in the Youth League, in preparation for upcoming events, including the School Games in Bahrain and the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia.
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