For the past eight years, Talant Dujshebaev has been the heart and soul of Łomża Industria Kielce, the Polish powerhouse that made the EHF FINAL4 five times, winning the title once and finishing second once, in the previous season, after conceding a penalty shoot-out loss against Barça. 

It was a heartbreaking loss for Kielce, who displayed one of their best-ever seasons in the European premium competition, but costly misses during the shoot-out tilted the balance into Barça’s way. 

A powerhouse in Egyptian handball, Al Ahly were the African team that was closest to win the IHF Men’s Super Globe. In 2007, when the competition was held in Cairo, Al Ahly finished second behind Spanish giants Ciudad Real, after conceding a last-gasp 29:28 loss.

Al Ahly qualified only once for the Super Globe since that moment, in 2015, when they finished fifth, but they are now back and eyeing a top performance after a seven-year hiatus.

Only five teams from Brazil have qualified for the IHF Men's Super Globe in the history of the competition, with Taubaté Handebol amounting for seven participations, while the other four have only managed eight appearances among them.

Taubaté are surely one of the most decorated teams in Brazilian handball history, with six domestic titles, five Pan American Men's Club Handball Championship trophies and two titles at the South and Central American Men's Club Handball Championship, with the latest secured this May.

Five of the previous 14 IHF Men’s Super Globe editions were won by Barça, who became the most decorated side in the history of the competition, despite taking part only seven times. 

In the previous edition of the IHF Men’s Super Globe, SC Magdeburg were awarded a Wild Card due to their win in the EHF European League Men. And they duly delivered, taking advantage of the chance and sealing their first win in the competition with an outstanding display, crowned by a 33:28 win against Barça in the final.