Kuwait Needs Victory Over South Korea to Advance in Asian Handball Event
Kuwait faces a high-stakes match against South Korea at 6:00 pm on January 24 at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex with a victory required to reach the semi-finals of the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship, which acts as a qualifier for the 2027 World Championship in Germany. The Arab Times reported that the hosts hold two points in Group A after a 28-27 loss to Japan and must win to improve their standing. Japan on three points and South Korea leading the group on goal difference with three points make the outcome decisive for advancement.
The Arab Times detailed second-round results that saw Japan edge Kuwait 28-27 while South Korea defeated Iraq 35-30, Bahrain overcome Qatar 31-28 and Saudi Arabia rout the UAE 33-18. Those outcomes positioned South Korea first in Group A on goal difference ahead of Japan, both at three points, with Kuwait third on two points and Iraq at zero. Bahrain leads Group B with four points from two wins and has virtually secured a semi-final berth, the newspaper reported, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar each hold two points and the UAE has none.
Head coach Aron Kristjansson expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in the Japan match despite the narrow defeat, according to the Arab Times. He attributed the loss to technical mistakes in offense and defense along with a total of 12 player suspensions during the post-match press conference. Kristjansson emphasized that the South Korea match is equally vital given the opponents’ status among Asia’s strongest teams and voiced confidence that careful preparation and strong fan support could enable Kuwait to advance to the semi-finals.
The International Handball Federation has stated that the championship hosted by Kuwait from January 15 to 29 qualifies the top four teams for the 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship in Germany. Asian Handball Federation records show Kuwait has captured the Asian title four times, in 1995, 2002, 2004 and 2006. The same data places South Korea as the competition’s most successful side with nine titles, the latest secured in 2012.
Japan is slated to meet Iraq at 12:00 pm on the same day in Group A while the UAE faces Qatar and Saudi Arabia plays Bahrain in Group B, the Arab Times reported. These fixtures will help finalize the semi-final participants based on the updated group standings. The Arab Times noted that all matches take place at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex, which is one of the primary venues for the event being staged in Kuwait for the fourth time.
The Asian Handball Federation has listed 14 teams competing in the championship including defending champions from prior editions and several perennial contenders. Kuwait’s home advantage has been highlighted in the lead-up to the decisive Group A matches. Kristjansson’s focus on minimizing errors from the previous game forms a central part of the team’s approach for the evening kickoff against South Korea.
