Tuesday 11 / February / 2025
The 41st Gulf Club Handball Championship is set to commence on Saturday in Muscat, with the opening ceremony taking place under the patronage of HH Sayyid Mohammed bin Salim Al Said. The opening ceremony will feature attendance of distinguished guests, including Oman Handball Association (OHA) Chairman Moosa Al Balushi and Organizing Committee Chairman Jihad Al Shaikh, alongside other officials.
As the tournament approaches, Oman and Seeb clubs are wrapping up their final preparations. Oman Club recently concluded an external training camp in Bahrain, securing two friendly victories against Al Ahli Bahrain (32-25) and Al Dair Bahrain (33-30). These matches provided head coach Ibrahim Bouderbali with a key opportunity to evaluate his squad, test different strategies, and fine-tune tactics ahead of the competition.
"Our goal is to represent Oman in the best possible way and give our maximum effort in every match. Despite some injuries, we have a talented squad ready to step up when needed. Our focus is on maintaining high morale and delivering strong performances," said Bouderbali.
Oman Club boosted their squad by three professional players including: Ali bin Abdullah (Bahrain), Qam bin Mohammed (Bahrain) and Mohamed Ihab Brouis (Algeria).
Meanwhile, Seeb Club has intensified its training schedule with a rigorous two-session daily program, overseen by national coach Nabil Al Balushi. The team aims to build on its strong domestic league form, where it currently holds second place. Seeb has also reinforced its squad with the signings of Bahraini player Ahmed Redha and Muhannad Al Zarafi from Ahli Sidab.
The championship will feature eight teams, divided into two groups. Group A featured from Al Rayyan (Qatar), Al Najma (Bahrain), Al Noor (Saudi Arabia) and Seeb (Oman) while group B: comprised from:Oman Club (Oman), Kuwait SC (Kuwait), Dibba Al Hisn (UAE) and Al Arabi (Qatar)
The official technical meeting is scheduled on Friday. The session will finalize tournament regulations, team rosters, and jersey colors in preparation for the competition.
