Asian Men’s Youth Handball Championship:
Iran handed daunting tests after new draw
Iran was drawn in a challenging Group B at the 2026 Asian Men’s Youth Handball Championship after the Asian Handball Federation (AHF) held a redraw for the competition on Thursday.
The draw was conducted again after several teams changed their decisions regarding participation in the 11th edition of the continental tournament, which will kick off on Thursday in Amman, Jordan.
The 2006 champions and two-time silver medalists, Iran, who had to settle for a below-par sixth-place finish in the previous edition in 2024, will face Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria in Group B, which appears to be the tougher of the two groups, with three teams besides Iran regarded as strong contenders for the title.
Iran will open its campaign against Saudi Arabia on Friday before taking on Qatar two days later at Princess Sumaya Hall.
Iran will face Kuwait in its penultimate group-stage fixture on Aug. 24, with a game against Syria coming on Aug. 26.
Qatar will enter the tournament as the second most decorated team in the history of the competition with two titles, as well as three silvers, while continental powerhouse Kuwait, which won the 2024 bronze medal, will look to add to its 2008 crown.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, which claimed bronze in 2022, will chase a second medal in three editions after falling short against Kuwait in the third-place playoff two years ago.
Group A comprises South Korea, Bahrain, Jordan, India and Uzbekistan.
The championship will also serve as the qualification event for the 12th IHF Men’s Youth (U19) Handball World Championship, with the top four teams securing direct qualification for the global tournament, scheduled to be held from July 29 to Aug. 9 next year.