14 teams line up at the start of the 25th CAHB African Men’s Handball Championship

The 25th edition of the CAHB African Men’s Handball Championship will take place between 11 and 18 July in 6th of October, Egypt, with 14 teams at the start, with the final five spots at the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship up for grabs.

Egypt, the reigning champions, will be earmarked as favourites, both due to their host status, but also after capping off an impressive 2021, where they finished fifth at the IHF Men’s World Championship, but also fourth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

This will be the sixth time Egypt hosts the competition after the tournaments organised in 1983, 1991, 2000, 2004 and 2016. The last four editions that took place in Egypt saw the hosts qualify for the final, winning it three times and conceding a loss in the other game.

The 14 teams that will line up at the start are divided into four groups – two of four teams each and three of three teams each. The top two sides in each group will progress to the knockout phase of the competition, while the other teams go into the intermediate round.

The knockout phase of the competition features the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, the final and the bronze medal game, but also the placement matches, including the 5/6 Placement Match, whose winner will progress to Poland/Sweden 2023.

After a strong outing at the Mediterranean Games 2022 last week, where they finished second, losing the final, 27:28, against Spain, Egypt will be definitely favoured for this tournament, where they are aiming to win the eighth gold medal and their third in the last four editions, after clinching the title at Egypt 2016 and Tunisia 2020.

With a star-studded line-up, which will feature players like Yehia Elderaa, Ahmed Elahmar, Karim Hendawy, Ali Zein, Seif Elderaa and Mohammed Sanad, Egypt look strong in all compartments before facing different challenges throughout the tournament.

Tunisia, who qualified for the last ten finals of the CAHB African Men’s Handball Championship, with their last tournament without challenging for the gold medal being in Algeria 2000, will be Egypt’s likely challengers, while Algeria or Morocco will try to spring a surprise or two.

However, if both Egypt and Tunisia win their groups and their subsequent quarter-finals matches, they will end up facing off in the semi-final, which is scheduled for 16 July. The final and the bronze medal game are due to be played in the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall on 18 July, a venue used at the 2021 IHF Men’s World Championship.

The first five teams will qualify for the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship in Poland and Sweden. With the groups already drawn, the teams will know where they play, immediately after confirming their position in the CAHB African Men’s Handball Championship.

Therefore, the winners and the bronze medalists will feature in Group G in Jonkoping, alongside Croatia and the United States of America. The runners-up are due to play in Group C, in Gothenburg, facing co-hosts Sweden, Brazil and Uruguay, while the fourth-placed side features in Group H, in Malmo, facing Denmark, Belgium and Bahrain. Last, but not least, the fifth-placed side is due in Group E, in Katowice, being assigned there alongside Germany, Qatar and Serbia.

Group A: Egypt, Morocco, Cameroon
Group B: Algeria, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya
Group C: Tunisia, Cape Verde, Nigeria
Group D: Angola, DR Congo, Senegal, Zambia

 

Photo: African Handball Confederation