11 teams lined up at the start of the 2025 CAHB African Women’s Youth Handball Championship, a qualification event for the 2026 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship, which will also acted as the African Continental Phase of the IHF Trophy Women 2025.

The 11 teams lined up at the start of the competition hosted by Algeria, in the coastal city of Oran, and were divided into two groups of five and six teams respectively, as Egypt secured their sixth title in a row, confirming their status as the most decorated team in the history of the event.

Egypt have improved their winning streak in the competition to 34 matches, with their last loss at the CAHB African Women’s Youth Handball Championship coming in 2015, against Angola.

The African powerhouses started with four wins in the preliminary round, against Zambia, hosts Algeria (36:15), Burkina Faso (32:17) and Guinea (24:20), securing the first place in their group. Egypt were followed by Guinea, which finished tied on points with Algeria, which they draw against, 16:16. But with a superior goal difference, +33 as opposed to +7, Guinea were the second team progressing to the semi-finals.

In Group A, Tunisia swept their opponents, taking wins against Kenya (36:28), Madagascar, Nigeria (50:25), Benin (41:19) and Angola (30:19). Angola, the team with the second largest number of titles in history, finished second, securing wins against Benin, Kenya (23:18), Madagascar (22:12), Nigeria (23:20) and losing against Tunisia.

Egypt rekindled their rivalry with Angola in the semi-finals, in a low-scoring match. The champions led 13:7 at the break, only for Angola to mount a comeback in the second part, but fell short, as Egypt clinched a 19:16 win.

The second finalist was Tunisia, with a 25:23 win over Guinea, ensuring their first place on the podium since 2019.

But in the final, it was all about Egypt, which led from start to finish, taking a 33:21 win, for their sixth title in a row, after a seven-goal lead at the break, 16:9. Guinea took the bronze – their third consecutive medal – with a 18:11 win over Angola.

The first four sides – Egypt, Tunisia, Guinea and Angola – secured their places for the  2026 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship, which will take place next summer.

The 2025 CAHB African Women’s Youth Handball Championship also acted as the African Continental Phase of the IHF Trophy Women 2025, reuniting the winners of the five zones played throughout the year, took part, with Guinea securing the win, after finishing on the podium.

Nigeria finished fifth, Kenya finished sixth, Kenya ended seventh, while Zambia and Madagascar finished 10th and 11th respectively.

Egypt doubled down on their success last week, when they also secured the title at the 2025 CAHB African Women’s Junior Handball Championship, earning titles in both categories for the first time in history.

2025 CAHB African Women’s Youth Handball Championship – final standings

1. Egypt
2. Tunisia
3. Guinea
4. Angola
5. Nigeria
6. Algeria
7. Kenya
8. Burkina Faso
9. Benin
10. Zambia
11. Madagascar

Photo credit: Fédération Algérienne de Handball