Amman: The Qatari U17 handball team defeated their Chinese counterparts 38-24 today in their opening match of Group B at the First Asian Men's U17 Handball Championship, held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, from Sept. 15-25. The championship serves as a qualifier for the World Championship in Morocco.

According to Qatar News Agency, with this victory, Qatar secured its spot in the tournament's main round. The team is set to play its second group match tomorrow (Wednesday) against Saudi Arabia to determine the first and second place group finishers.

The championship features 13 teams divided into four groups: Group A includes Kuwait, Bahrain, and Hong Kong; Group B features Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and China; Group C consists of Jordan, Chinese Taipei, and India; while Group D includes South Korea, Iran, Syria, and the Maldives.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the main round, where the eight qualified teams will be split into two groups of four. The top two teams from each main round group will progress to the semifinals.

The top two finishers in the Asian Championship will qualify to represent Asia at the inaugural IHF Men's U17 World Championship, scheduled to be held in Morocco from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, 2025.