Al Kuwait Faces Al Arabi in Handball Federation Cup Quarter-Finals
Press coverage 3 newspapers covered this event: Al-Anba · Al-Jarida · KUNA →
Two matches are scheduled in the handball Federation Cup quarter-finals, with Kuwait facing Al Arabi and Fahaheel facing Salibikhaet, while Barqan has qualified for the semi-finals.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
The semi-final round of the 2025-2026 Kuwait Handball Federation Cup concludes on Wednesday with two matches. The first sees Fehahees face Al-Salibikhaat at 5:00 PM in a closely contested matchup, while the second features defending champions and league winners Al-Kuwait against Al-Arabi at 7:00 PM at the Sheikh Saud Al-Abdullah Complex Hall.
The first match appears more balanced technically, with both Fehahees and Al-Salibikhaat eager to capitalize on their semi-final berth and continue their title challenge.
In the second match, Al-Kuwait enters relying on the experience of its squad and the strength of its lineup under Brazilian coach Marcus Oliveira. Oliveira is betting on quick transitions from defense to attack and exploiting the offensive capabilities of Egyptian Mahmoud Abdelaziz (Jado), Bahraini Hussein Habib, Montenegrin Vladan Lipovina, alongside key local players including Saif Al-Adwani, Saleh Al-Mousawi, Abdullah Al-Khamis, and Haider Dashti.
The "Whites" (Al-Kuwait) recently held a training camp in Egypt, where they played a friendly match against the Brazilian national team, losing 25-29. This served as preparation for the Federation Cup and the 41st Gulf Club Championship, scheduled to take place in Bahrain from November 19 to 30.
Conversely, Al-Arabi enters the clash with high ambitions and a desire to upset Al-Kuwait, one of the top favorites to retain the title, after reaching the semi-finals with a 38-35 victory over Al-Qadsia.
Al-Arabi coach Hussein Habib aims to deliver a balanced performance, focusing on the effectiveness of the backcourt led by South Korean Kim Jin, while attempting to neutralize the opponent’s threat and halt their rapid offensive transitions. Meanwhile, Burqan was the first team to qualify for the semi-finals, securing a hard-fought 28-25 win over Khaitan yesterday, marking the start of the quarter-finals.
Burqan will face the winner of the match between Kazma and Al-Yarmouk in the semi-finals next Friday.
