Thursday 26 / December / 2024
MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman will be the host of the 10th Asian Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball Championship, a prestigious event organised by the Asian Handball Federation (AHF).
Scheduled from May 1 to 10, 2025, the championship will take place at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, Muscat.
This marks the fourth time Oman will host the championship, following the inaugural edition in 2004, the 3rd edition in 2011, and the 5th edition in 2015. The return of this event after a decade highlights Oman’s established reputation as a hub for international beach handball in Asia.
In addition to determining Asia’s top teams, the championship will serve as a qualifying tournament for the 12th IHF Men’s & Women’s Beach Handball World Championship, scheduled for 2026. The
competitive stakes ensure that top-tier teams will battle it out for a spot in the global tournament.
Oman are one of the most successful teams in the history of the Asian Beach Handball Championship, boasting seven podium finishes in nine editions, including a gold medal in the inaugural event in 2004 and six silver medals. The consistency underscores Oman’s strength in the sport.
Qatar lead the medal tally with six golds and one silver, while Iran and Pakistan are the only other nations to have secured gold medals in the competition’s history.
Musa Al Balushi, Oman Handball Association (OHA) chairman expressed pride in hosting the championship and emphasised its importance.
“Hosting the 10th Asian Beach Handball Championship for men and women by Oman is a very important step after competing with other countries. The success of our bid reflects Oman’s growing reputation in hosting major handball championships,” he said.
Al Balushi also highlighted Oman’s aspirations for the future. He said: “Our ambition in the next stage is to host the Beach Handball World Cup in 2028, and we have recently submitted a comprehensive bid for this purpose and are hopeful of a successful bid.”
The Asian Championship is part of a robust lineup of beach handball tournaments in Oman. It will be preceded by the GCC Handball Clubs Championship, hosted by Oman Club in February 2025, and the GCC Beach Games, also set to take place in Oman.
Oman’s proven track record includes hosting the Beach Handball World Cup in 2012 at Al Mussanah Sports City. With the upcoming Asian Championship, Oman hope to cement their position as a premier destination for beach handball in the region.
The Sultanate’s efforts in hosting these events not only bolster the sports profile but also contribute to regional sports development and tourism growth.
