Reigning champions SC Magdeburg and Barça, the most decorated team in the history of the IHF Men's Super Globe, feature on the first day of the 2022 edition of the competition, with the two sides being huge favourites in their ties against Sydney-Uni and Club Ministros.

In the last game of the day, David Davis will debut as the coach of Egyptian side Al-Ahly, with a crunch tie against hosts Mudhar, in one of the most balanced games in the preliminary round.

Group C

• 11:30 AST: Handebol Clube Taubaté (BRA) vs Al-Kuwait (KUW)

The 2022 IHF Men's Super Globe will throw off with a match between the winner of the South and Central American Men's Club Handball Championship, Handebol Clube Taubaté, and the winner of the AHF Asian Club League Championship, Al-Kuwait, in a fixture that will likely decide the future of the two clubs. The Polish powerhouse Lomza Industria Kielce will enter the fray on Wednesday.

Taubaté, whose best ranking was the fifth place in 2018, will feature for the seventh time at the IHF Men's Super Globe, while Al-Kuwait SC will be one of the rookies of the competition, signalling the return of a team from Kuwait in the competition for the first time since 2017.

With stalwarts like backs Angel Hernandez and Frankis Marzo, the latter being the top scorer of the 2021 IHF Men's World Championship, Al-Kuwait SC will be eyeing a strong presence in the competition. Still, their lack of experience at the international level could be their undoing, despite a strong outing at the AHF Asian Club League Championship in June, where they won four of the five games they played.

Group A

• 13:45 AST: SC Magdeburg (GER) vs Sydney-Uni (AUS)

The German side will throw off their title defence campaign like they started their previous edition of the IHF Men's Super Globe: with a game against Sydney-Uni. The Australian team will be featuring for a record 10th time in the competition and looking to improve on their eighth place from the previous edition.

Magdeburg will have a full squad at their disposal after the top scorer of the EHF EURO 2022, right back Omar Ingi Magnusson, who was granted a leave of absence to return to Iceland for personal reasons, returned to the team and will play in the competition. Fellow right back Kay Smits is coming in superb form after scoring 19 goals for his national team, the Netherlands, in two games of the EHF EURO 2024 Qualifiers last week.

In the previous match between the two sides, Magdeburg won 32:20, and the German champions will likely be favoured to earn a big win once again, as their experience should be essential in this kind of match. The reigning champions have also thrown off the IHF Men's Super Globe with a win each time, therefore another reason for the German side, who have only three losses this season, to enjoy a good start.

Group D

• 16:00 AST: Barça (ESP) vs Club Ministros (MEX)

Club Ministros will write history for Mexican handball as the first side to make an appearance at the IHF Men's Super Globe, when they will be facing the most decorated team in the competition, Barça, on Tuesday.

The Spanish powerhouse made the final six times, winning five trophies, three more than any other side in history. They will be looking to kickstart their challenge for a new trophy with a big win against the inexperienced Mexican team.

Barça are on a 44-game unbeaten streak, with 42 wins and two draws since November 2021. They will be heavily favoured as they bring their top guns to Dammam, including 2021 IHF Men's World Championship All-star line player, Ludovic Fabregas, and stalwarts like Dika Mem and Luka Cindric.

The start could not have been more challenging for Club Ministros, the 2022 North American and Caribbean Senior Club Championship winners. Still, the learning curve will definitely help them improve.

Group B

• 19:45 AST: Al-Ahly SC (EGY) vs Mudhar (KSA)

Al-Ahly SC clinched their berth for the IHF Men's Super Globe in May by winning the final of the Africa Men's Handball Super Cup 32:31 against arch-rivals Zamalek SC. 

Since then, the Egyptian powerhouse finished third in the CAHB African Club Championship, which ended in Hammamet, Tunisia, only 10 days ago, prompting a coaching change just before the start of the IHF Men's Super Globe.

Dani Gordo was let go and replaced by David Davis, the former Veszprem and Vardar coach, who will be serving in his second stint for the Egyptian powerhouse after leading the side between 2018 and 2019.

The challenge will be significant, as Al-Ahly never finished lower than fifth place in the IHF Men's Super Globe, yet the group is one of the toughest, if not the most balanced, with the debut against Saudi side Mudhar being paramount.

Mudhar have plenty of pedigree, having secured the title in the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Saudi Handball League last season after a tiebreaker against Khaleej, the other Saudi team to feature in the IHF Men's Super Globe. With the two teams tied, a decisive game ensued, which was won by Mudhar, 26:24.

Their form is a minor cause of concern, as they lost the Saudi Super Cup in September against Khaleej, 31:33. Still, the start in the new season of the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Saudi Handball League erased those doubts, with four clear wins in the first four rounds of the competition.

With plenty of Saudi internationals at their disposal, Mudhar are relying on homegrown talent but also boast a very experienced right back, Tunisian stalwart Amine Bannour, who can be the player who tilts the balance into the team's way.