Following the referee preparatory course and technical meetings over the past two days, the 21st AHF Men’s Asian Club League Championship gets underway in Kuwait City, Kuwait today (20 March), finishing on 1 April.

 

The winners of the championship will qualify for the 2019 IHF Men’s Super Globe, to be held in Saudi Arabia later this year.

 

Four preliminary groups feature 13 teams from 11 countries: Bahrain (BRN), China (CHN), India (IND), Iraq (IRQ), Saudi Arabia (KSA), Kuwait (KUW), Lebanon (LBN), Oman (OMA), Qatar (QAT), Syria (SYR) and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

 

The top two in each of the four groups go through to two main round groups of four teams each, then the top two in each of those progress to the semi-finals with the winners moving onto the final.

 

The four preliminary groups are:

 

Group A: Dragon (CHN), Mudhar (KSA), Al Sadaka (LBN)

Group B: Al Jaish (SYR), Muscat (OMA), Al Wakra (QAT)

Group C: Kuwait (KUW), Al Karkh (IRQ), T-Sports (IND), Bar Bar (BRN)

Group D: Al Duhail (QAT), Al Sharjah (UAE), Kazma (KUW)

 

This championship was originally due to be held in Amman, Jordan from 10-23 November 2018 but was postponed due to “unavoidable circumstances”. The previous edition of the championship, edition number 20, took place in India in November 2017 with Al Najma from Bahrain taking the honours.

 

Follow the 21st AHF Men’s Asian Club League Championship via the Asian Handball Federation Facebook page HERE.

 

MATCH SCHEDULE

All times local, all games played at Kuwait Club

 

Wednesday 20 March

 

12:45    T-Sports (IND) vs Al Karkh (IRQ)

14:30    Al Sadaka (LBN) vs Dragon (CHN)

16:15    Al Wakra (QAT) vs Al Jaish (SYR)

 

17:45    Opening Ceremony

 

18:15    Bar Bar (BRN) vs Kuwait (KUW)

20:00    Kazma (KUW) vs Al Duhail (QAT)

 

Thursday 21 March

 

12:45    Mudhar (KSA) vs Al Sadaka (LBN)

14:30    Muscat (OMA) vs Al Wakra (QAT)

16:15    Bar Bar (BRN) vs Al Karkh (IRQ)

18:15    T-Sports (IND) vs Kuwait (KUW)

20:00    Al Sharjah (UAE) vs Kazma (KUW)

 

Friday 22 March

 

13:00    Al Jaish (SYR) vs Muscat (OMA)

14:45    Dragon (CHN) vs Mudhar (KSA)

16:30    Bar Bar (BRN) vs T-Sports (IND)

18:30    Al Duhail (QAT) vs Al Sharjah (UAE)

20:15    Al Karkh (IRQ) vs Kuwait (KUW)

 

Saturday 23 March

Rest Day

 

Main Round onwards

Sunday 24-Saturday 30 March (29 March – rest day): Main Round and 9-13 Placement Round

Saturday 30 March (17:00, 19:00hrs): Semi-Finals

Sunday 31 March: 5-13 Placement Matches

Monday 1 April: Bronze (17:00hrs), Gold (19:00hrs)