Sweden’s men burst onto the global beach handball scene in 2018, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal at the IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship in Kazan, Russia, after losing to a determined Hungary side, who had finished in fourth spot in their previous four international competitions.

The Swedes, coached by Helene Bernhardtz and Tony Karlsson, lost to eventual champions Brazil in their semi-final, but impressed throughout their stay in Russia – their debut step onto the global stage.

Macedonian club HC Vardar arrive at the 2019 IHF Super Globe champions of Europe’s toughest international club competition, the VELUX EHF Champions League. Last season was something of a miracle for Vardar. The club had some difficulties early on and were not favourites to take the title at the final weekend in Cologne at the start of June. 

After a seven-year absence, Zamalek return to the IHF Men’s Super Globe with the goal of building on what has been a strong year for Egyptian handball. Currently featuring some of the biggest stars of the Egypt national team playing in Africa, Zamalek are the second most successful club in their national league’s history, having won 15 domestic titles – including the 2018/19 season trophy. 

Sydney University Handball Club have been Oceania’s perennial representatives at the IHF Super Globe since their debut in 2012. Aside from their stand-out fourth place finish in 2015, however, they have ranked eighth on every participation. 

Sydney Uni often have high turnover within their squad, which is one of the challenges for the amateur club. The team travelling to Saudi Arabia have been preparing together since March.  

THW Kiel are two-time Super Globe winners, three-time Champions League winners, and record title holders in what is regarded as one of the world’s toughest domestic competitions, Germany’s Bundesliga. Twenty domestic league trophies place Kiel well above any other German club in the history of the Bundesliga, and their reputation as a top handball club extends far outside their nations’ borders. 

After nine years off the podiums in their domestic competitions, 2019 IHF Super Globe hosts Al Wehda returned with a vengeance in the 2018/19 season winning all three trophies. 

In the Saudi league, they added the trophy to their two previous wins, in 1999/00 and 2009/10. It was also the third triumph in the Cup, after 2002/03 and 2004/05. In the Elite championship, Al Wehda clinched their first title in 2018/19. It was these performances that earned Al Wehda a place in what is their first Super Globe. 

“Our goal is to play the semi-finals of the world,” said a confident Marcus Oliveira. “Tata”, as he’s known in South America, has a lot of experience coaching Taubate at continental tournaments and at the IHF Men’s Super Globe. 

Since 2013, the team from the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil has participated in every Super Globe except the 2017 edition. Taubate’s best finish was 5th in 2018 – when after losing to Füchse Berlin in the quarter-finals, they defeated Sydney Uni and Hammamet in the 5-8 placement matches. This year, however, the team have bigger aspirations.

New York City Team Handball Club will be the first team ever from North America to compete in the IHF Men’s Super Globe. They earned their spot in Saudi Arabia by winning this year’s Men’s North American and the Caribbean Club Championship after defeating Los Angeles THC 34:32 and Handball Quebec 34:30.

Four IHF Men’s Super Globe trophies sit in FC Barcelona’s trophy hall. The Catalan club has won those in only five appearances. Now, the defending back-to-back champions are looking to bring a fifth trophy – and their third consecutive gold medal – home.

FC Barcelona, or Barça, have also won all ASOBAL titles since 2011 – a total of 26 in their history – and bronze at the 2018/19 EHF Champions League. Even with all the accolades, they never underestimate opponents.