Kuwait city: The Qatari national handball team secured the silver medal at the 22nd Asian Men's Handball Championship after a close match against Bahrain, culminating in a 26-29 loss in the final. This tournament acted as a qualifying event for the 2027 World Men's Handball Championship in Germany.

According to Qatar News Agency, Bahrain established an early lead with a halftime score of 14-11. Qatar made a strong comeback in the second half to level the score at 24-24, pushing the game into overtime. Bahrain regained the advantage in the first overtime, leading 27-25. Despite Qatar's efforts to equalize in the second overtime, they could not overcome the deficit.

In the competition for third place, Kuwait secured the bronze medal by narrowly defeating Japan 33-32 in a match held before the final showdown.

Qatar's national team was aiming for its seventh consecutive championship title, having previously won the tournament in six consecutive editions from 2014 to 2024. However, they fell short against Bahrain, which claimed the title for the first time in its history in 2026.

Historically, South Korea holds the record for the most titles in the Asian Men's Handball Championship with nine, followed by Qatar with six. Kuwait has won four titles, Japan two, and Bahrain one.

Despite the loss, Qatar has already qualified for the 2027 World Championship in Germany, marking its eleventh participation in the global event.