The field of participants for the 2014 edition of the IHF Super Globe 2014 in Doha (7 to 12 8 to 14 September) is close to completion after four of five continental qualification events have taken place. So six of eight club teams have already clinched their berth to the major test event for the 2015 Men’s World Championship in Qatar.
Besides host Al-Sadd (Qatar) and defending champion FC Barcelona the following teams have booked their tickets by now: Asian club champion El-Jaish (Qatar), African club champion Esperance (Tunisia), SG Flensburg-Handewitt (EHF Champions League winner) and Taubate Handball (Brazil) as the winner of the Pan-American qualification.
The European and Pan-American representatives were confirmed last weekend, with Flensburg beating THW Kiel in the final of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne by 30:28 and Taubate winning the continental club championship on home ground.
Taubate, defending Pan-American champion and 2013 IHF Super Globe participant, had a real final against their Brazilian colleagues of Pinheiros, 2012 Pan-American champions and IHF Super Globe participant. Both sides ended equal by seven points each after four matches, and the direct duel ended in a draw (23:23) – so the goal difference needed to decide, and Taubate were ahead of their domestic rivals by 44 goals. Colegio Ward (Argentina) finished third ahead of Villa Ballester (Argentina) and Luterano de Valparaiso (Chile).
Before, the Super Cup Babacar Fall was the African qualification event. In the final of the continental club championship in Oyo (Congo) Tunisian club side Esperance narrowly won the thrilling final by 21:20 (13:12) against Al-Ahly Haly (Egypt) to secure their spot for the IHF Super Globe for the first time ever. In 2013, Africa had also been represented by a Tunisian club, Etoile Sportive du Sahel.
The two remaining spots for the event are a wild card for a Qatari team and the Oceania participant, which will be decided in Sydney.
The IHF Super Globe will be played in two groups with four teams each. After three group match days, the two best ranked clubs face in the semi-final. Since 2010 the world championship for club teams has been carried out in Doha on an annual basis. Atletico Madrid (Spain, 2010, 2012), THW Kiel (Germany, 2011) and FC Barcelona (Spain, 2013) have been the winners so far.