Doha, January 5 (QNA) - The Qatari national handball team drew 21-21 with their Emirati counterparts in a friendly match held Monday at the Duhail Sports Hall. The match served as a test event as part of their preparations for the 22nd Asian Men's Handball Championship, which will be held in Kuwait from January 15 to 26. The championship serves as a qualifier for the 2027 World Men's Handball Championship in Germany.

The Qatari team fielded their second-string squad in today's match to ensure all players are ready for the upcoming Asian Championship and to provide the largest possible number of players prepared for this continental competition.

A second friendly match between the two teams is scheduled for Wednesday, with Qatar fielding its first-choice squad. This match will serve to assess the team's readiness and preparedness before the Asian Championship, where Qatar has been drawn into Group A alongside South Korea and Oman. Group B consists of Bahrain, Iraq, China, and Jordan; Group C includes Kuwait, the UAE, Hong Kong, and India; and Group D comprises Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the main round, which will feature eight teams divided into two groups playing a round-robin format. The top two teams from each of these groups will then qualify for the semifinals and secure direct qualification for the 2027 World Championship.

The Qatari national handball team aim to defend their Asian title, which it had won in the last six editions, and qualify for the World Championship for the eleventh time in its history. Their best result in the World Championship was second place in the 2015 edition in Qatar.

The Qatari national team had won the title of the last 21st edition of the Asian Men's Handball Championship, which was held in Bahrain last year, after defeating the Japanese national team in the final match with a score of (30 - 24). (QNA)