"Hand Youth" defeats Qatar and advances to the main round of the Asian tournament

Kuwait advanced to the main round after a thrilling last-second 30-29 victory over Qatar on Tuesday, as part of Group 2 in the 19th Asian Youth Handball Championship. The tournament, held in Chuzhou, China, until July 26, serves as qualifiers for the 26th World Championship (Under-21), scheduled for June 23 to July 4, 2027, in North Macedonia, with the top four teams qualifying for the World Cup.

This was the third win for the “Youth Blues,” following victories over India (47-15) and Japan (30-29), against two losses to Iran (27-29) and South Korea (28-34), bringing their total to six points from five matches.

In the final group stage match, Kuwait will face the United Arab Emirates at 11:00 AM on Wednesday.

In the same group, the UAE halted South Korea’s winning streak at four matches, forcing a 30-30 draw. This result moved the UAE to eight points in second place, while South Korea remained in first with nine points, securing their advancement to the main round.

In another match, Iran secured a decisive 63-14 victory over India, joining the teams that advanced to the main round.

Iran’s total rose to seven points, while India remained winless in seventh and last place.