Benin’s women and Tunisia’s men made history in Lomé this week as they took gold in the first-ever CAHB African Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball Championships in the Togo capital.

After seven matches in the women’s competition and 14 in the men’s event, the two teams ended up top of their podiums, and with it, secured qualification through to the 2026 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships in Croatia in June.

Running for four days – 24 to 27 April – the continental debut event featured eight teams from five nations: Tunisia, Benin, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali.

 

Benin deliver on pre-tournament promise

In their first major tournament as a nation, Benin had stated their aims for both teams were to win a world championship qualification spot and under coach Léonce Linta, the women’s team delivered.

Due to the absence of Kenya, the women’s field was wide open for qualification. All three teams played each other twice in an initial group stage with Benin and Togo both recording two wins and two losses each, while Mali lost three and won one.

And so it went to a clash between Togo and Benin in the final for debut continental gold and that world championship spot. Both sets were won by four clear points each with both teams taking one each and in a tense shoot-out, the Togo home fans were left disappointed as Benin held their nerves to win 6:5.

 

Tunisia men unbeatable, qualify for second World Championship

After debuting at the 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship, Tunisia return to global action thanks to six 2-0 wins – a perfect record.

Their preliminary group campaign saw them beat Benin (14:10, 24:13), Cote d’Ivoire (20:6, 16:9), Mali (22:9, 20:13) and Togo (22:16, 24:20). Mali were again their opponents, this time in the semi-finals, and in a tighter, defensive game, the North African side ran out 11:5, 23:12 winners. 

But their stiffest test came in the final as host nation Togo – in front of a packed, passionate home crowd – put up a fight. And the Togo side took them all the way, Badis Mohamed scoring the golden goal for Tunisia in the first set (19:18) and specialist Rhimi Bachar sinking home with just a second remaining to take the second (18:16).

Games and photos can be found at the CAHB Facebook. 

2026 CAHB Men’s and Women’s African Beach Handball Championship

Final Rankings

Men’s competition
1 Tunisia*
2 Togo
3 Mali
4 Benin
5 Cote d’Ivoire

Women’s competition
1 Benin*
2 Togo
3 Mali

Results

Men’s competition
TUN v BEN 2-0 (14:10, 24:13)
TOG v CIV 2-0 (22:3, 26:8)
TUN v CIV 2-0 (20:6, 16:9)
TOG v MLI 2-0 (10:0, 10:0)**
TUN v MLI 2-0 (22:9, 20:13)
CIV v BEN 0-2 (11:19, 10:23)
MLI v CIV 2-0 (12:7, 9:6)
TOG v BEN 2-0 (18:13, 18:9)
MLI v BEN 0-2 (9:16, 12:15)
TOG v TUN 0-2 (16:22, 20:24)
Semi-Final: TUN v MLI 2-0 (11:5, 23:12)
Semi-Final: TOG v BEN 2-0 (20:10, 13:12)
Bronze medal match: BEN v MLI 1-2 (12:4, 8:9, SO 2:6)
Final/gold medal match: TUN v TOG 2-0 (19:18, 18:16)

Women’s competition
TOG v MLI 2-0 (8:2, 12:8)
TOG v BEN 0-2 (10:12, 2:6)
BEN v MLI 1-2 (8:6, 6:8, SO 4:6)
MLI v TOG 0-2 (8:12, 8:10)
MLI v BEN 0-2 (10:11, 3:17)
BEN v TOG 0-2 (6:13, 12:13)
Final/gold medal match: TOG v BEN 1-2 (15:11, 10:14, SO 5:6)

*Qualified for the 2026 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships
**Mali forfeited their first game with a result of 2-0 (10:0, 10:0) in favour of their opposition.

Photo credit: CAHB