Nabil bin Hassan Al Balushi named as new coach for Omani men

Former national team captain Nabil bin Hassan Al Balushi has been appointed as head coach of the Oman men’s national team by the Oman Handball Association.

His first major test will be leading the team in the AHF Men’s Asian Championship set to be held in Kuwait in January 2026 and which will serve as a qualifier for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship which will take place in Germany.

The announcement was made in July, with Al Balushi well-experienced of the coaching responsibilities in his new role, most-recently having served under former head coach, Algerian Mourad Boussebt, at the 2024 AHF Men’s Asian Championship in Bahrain, where Oman lost all three of their preliminary games, against Qatar, Kuwait and Chinese Taipei.

According to a media release and local media in Oman, Al Balushi’s appointment is “…part of the Oman Handball Association's strategy to enhance the technical performance of the team and rely on national competencies to lead national teams’. Al Balushi played at all levels for Oman from 1994 to 2009 after starting his playing career in 1987.

The Oman men’s national team have never qualified for a senior, junior or youth IHF Men’s World Championship, while their continental appearances have seen them finish no higher than seventh in the senior, junior or youth categories.

On the sand though, Oman’s men have been very successful, confirming their eighth appearance in 11 editions of the IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship, after they won the 2025 AHF Men’s Asian Beach Handball Championship on home sand last May by beating the Islamic Republic of Iran in the final.

That result meant a ticket to the 2026 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship in Croatia next year.

In recognition of that title, the Oman Handball Association held a ceremony earlier in July with their Chairman praising their efforts.

“This achievement is not just a sporting victory, but rather the result of integrated teamwork that reflects the spirit of cooperation and determination to excel the sons of the nation and the result of great success for the handball system in the Sultanate of Oman,” he said.

“I extend my thanks and appreciation to the members of the working committees that contributed to the success of this major sporting event, which everyone praised with pride and we extend our thanks to the organising committee that worked with all its might to achieve these successes on the ground.”