Al-Shari': Developing 'Kuwait Hand' Requires Club and Federation Cooperation

Kuwait officials: Handball development requires full cooperation between clubs and the federation

Kuwait Handball Federation President Eng. Ahmed Al-Shraie emphasized that elevating the sport of handball requires complete cooperation between clubs and the federation. Therefore, we have adopted a principle of partnership rather than guardianship. We do not close doors to clubs, and we apply regulations uniformly to all parties.

He added, “We have launched a technical monitoring program for the Peewee and Cadet categories in clubs, aimed at assessment and development, based on clear standards and simplified field tests.”

Regarding the new season, Al-Shraie stated, “We are working on a calendar that serves both clubs and national teams, enhancing coach efficiency in parallel with the coaching certification requirements implemented this season.”

On the national team’s preparations for the World Cup scheduled in Germany in January 2027, he said, “The key focus for the upcoming phase is the Germany World Cup. This will be Kuwait’s tenth appearance in the tournament’s history and the second consecutive one. This achievement did not come out of nowhere; it is the fruit of the collective efforts and cooperation of everyone involved—players, technical staff, and the former board of directors—during the Asian Championship hosted by the country. In turn, we continue our work to sustain this success.”

He further noted, “Our group, hosted in Stuttgart, includes France, Argentina, and Brazil. It is one of the strongest groups in the tournament. We approach it with realism and ambition, aiming to make a respectable appearance, compete for a spot in the main round, and raise the name and flag of Kuwait on the major international stage.”

Regarding the team’s preparations, Al-Shraie said, “Preparations began in November under the leadership of Icelandic coach Aron Kristansson and his Kuwaiti assistant, Ali Murad. The program includes two external camps in Egypt and Iceland to raise technical and physical standards and achieve the required readiness.”

Al-Shraie also addressed the difficulties facing the sport, stating, “The challenges are well-known, and we do not hide them. However, we treat them as work files rather than excuses. The most prominent among them are: sports facilities and financial resources; player availability and the schedule of various competitions; youth categories and the grassroots base.”

He added, “We review the system annually with clubs. The federation held a coordination meeting with club sports directors to review the positives and negatives of the past season, as well as proposals for the competition system and youth category tournaments. Any modifications will be announced well in advance of implementation. For example, the decision to reduce the number of foreign professionals to two per team will take effect starting next season, granting Kuwaiti players more opportunities and giving clubs more time for planning.”

On the technological advancements within the federation, Al-Shraie said, “We believe that developing handball is not limited to what happens on the court; it begins with how the federation itself operates. Therefore, we have employed technology to serve our clubs, players, and fans. This is the result of the efforts of the current board members, who have worked professionally in this regard.”

He pointed out, “We manage our operations through a single electronic platform, utilized by all handball clubs, more than 2,000 players, and over 500 administrators. More than 400 matches per season are processed through it.”

He noted that the application includes news, schedules, live scores, standings, top scorers, broadcasts, and highlights, available in both Arabic and English. Furthermore, at the beginning of each season when registration opens, clubs no longer need to wait for manual review to know the status of their applications. They submit requests and documents electronically and can track their application status until the federation issues a decision. The system itself verifies age categories, quotas, and registration periods, thereby reducing errors from the outset.