Talib expresses confidence in Kuwait's youth team ahead of World Cup
CAIRO, April 15: Khaled Talib, Treasurer of the Kuwait Handball Association and head of the Kuwaiti junior team delegation, expressed strong confidence in the team ahead of its participation in the 2025 IHF Men's Youth World Championship, despite being drawn into a challenging Group A alongside handball powerhouses Sweden, Portugal, and Austria.
The official draw for the tournament was held in Cairo, with 32 teams set to compete from August 6 to 17 in Egypt. Notably, six Arab nations will take part: Egypt (host), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Kuwait.
World Cup Groupings:
Group A: Kuwait, Sweden, Portugal, Austria
Group B: Hungary, Switzerland, Morocco, Kosovo
Group C: Serbia, Spain, Croatia, Algeria
Group D: Iceland, Brazil, Guinea, Saudi Arabia
Group F: Germany, Slovenia, Uruguay, Faroe Islands
Group G: Norway, France, Argentina, Mexico
Group H: Egypt, Japan, South Korea, Bahrain
Group I: Denmark, Tunisia, USA, Czech Republic
This marks Kuwait's second appearance in the U-19 Handball World Cup, after debuting in Tunisia 2009, where it finished 19th.
Talib acknowledged the difficulty of facing elite European teams, renowned for their strength and experience, but emphasized Kuwait's solid preparation. The team recently gained valuable experience by competing in the Mediterranean International Friendly Championship against teams such as Tunisia, Italy, Greece, and Montenegro.
He added that continued participation in continental competitions will further strengthen the team and help elevate the standard of Kuwaiti handball. Talib also expressed hope that the players will make Kuwaiti fans proud, especially given the strong support they've received from the local community and federation.
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