The 18th edition of the IHF Men’s Club World Championship will throw off on Friday, 26 September, in the New Administrative Capital Arena in Egypt, with three matches on the schedule.

The three European teams participating will enter the fray on Saturday, but both Egyptian teams– Zamalek SC and Al-Ahly – will be on the court on Friday, trying to open their accounts with wins against Handebol Taubaté and Sydney Uni respectively.

GROUP A
15:30 EEST Sharjah SC (UAE) vs California Eagles (USA)

History will be made at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship in the New Administrative Capital in Egypt, as the 18th edition will see the debut of a team from the United Arab Emirates – Sharjah SC – as Asia’s representative in the competition.

The winners of the AHF Asian Club League Handball Championship, with a 27:26 dramatic win over Khaleej Club, the Saudi team which played in the last three editions, propelled Sharjah SC to the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship and they will be ready to rumble against the California Eagles.

Sharjah – led by Brazilian coach Marcus “Tata” Oliveira – will be aiming to secure their maiden win in the competition, against a team which has played in the previous edition and has failed to yet break their duck.

Packed by Emirati players, but with some Egyptian young rising stars and experienced Tunisian back Mosbah Sanai, Sharjah will face the Eagles, which have a new coach, in Argentinian mastermind Guillermo Milano, while their former coach from the previous edition, Gonzalo Carou, is listed as a player in their squad.

The Eagles, which lost all their four matches in the previous edition, are also boasting beach handball legend Ebiye Jeremy Udo-Udoma in their line-up.

GROUP B
17:45 EEST Zamalek SC (EGY) vs Handebol Taubaté (BRA)

Taubaté are returning for the ninth time at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, with only two teams – Sydney Uni and FC Barcelona – boasting more appearances in the competition so far, with 12 and 11 participations respectively.

The Brazilian squad’s top finish was the fifth place in 2018, but in the previous edition, Taubaté have lost all the four matches they played, including two against Zamalek SC, one in the preliminary round and one in the placement matches.

Zamalek took a 30:25 win in the first match and a 30:24 win in the second match, boasting fantastic first halves in both matches, as Taubaté had scored six and nine goals respectively, without standing a chance to mount a comeback in the second half.
The Egyptian side still have plenty of talent on display, with a squad built only with domestic talent, led by the 41-year-old Egypt legend, right back Ahmed Elahmar, who will try to boost his side’s chances for a better result in the competition, after finishing fifth in the previous edition.

Zamalek played a friendly match against Sharjah SC three days before the throw off, taking a 33:27 win, while Taubaté rely once again on their fantastic pipeline of talent, with Brazilian players populating their squad.

GROUP C
20:30 EEST Al-Ahly (EGY) vs Sydney Uni (AUS)

Having the right to choose their group during the draw which took place on the outskirts of the 2025 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in Egypt, Al-Ahly chose to play in Grouo C, alongside title holders Veszprém HC and Australian side Sydney Uni.

Sydney have been been a constant presence at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, participating in 12 of the last 13 editions, being the club with the record number of appearances.

However, they have won only two out of the last eight matches played in 2022 and 2024, but, nevertheless, they managed to avoid finishing last, coming in seventh place in the previous edition.

Last year, they have also faced Al-Ahly, with the Egyptian side powering to a 49:15 win, as they made it to the semi-finals and subsequently finished on the podium, earning the third place, with a win against FC Barcelona.

Now led by coach David Davis, who returned after one year spent at Dinamo București, Al-Ahly also boast Czech right back Stanislav Kasparek and Polish left back Tomasz Gebala in their squad, adding more depth and experience to the back line.

Al-Ahly will appear for the sixth time in the competition, having finished second in 2007 and third in 2024, and for the third consecutive time, tying the record of consecutive appearances held by Zamalek SC.