The draw for the 2026 Handball Club World Championship, in its 19th edition hosted by Egypt for the third consecutive time, was held today, Wednesday, in the Swiss city of Zurich.
The draw for the 2026 Handball Club World Championship resulted in Al-Zamalek facing the American Los Angeles team in the qualifying match for the groups.
While the Hungarian Veszprém team will meet its Australian counterpart, the University of Sydney, in the second qualifying match as well for the groups.
While the losers of those two matches will play for ninth place.
The draw for the 2026 Handball Club World Championship, which was divided into two groups so that each group includes 4 teams, came as follows:
The system of the 2026 Club World Cup has been changed in the current edition, and it has become held in two groups instead of 3 groups as was the case in the previous two editions.
The International Handball Federation had previously announced that the draw would be free without any restrictions.
The draw for the tournament came as follows:
First Group
- Spanish Barcelona
- Moroccan Derb Sultan Forum
- Brazilian Pinheiros
- The winner of the match between Al-Zamalek and American Los Angeles
Second Group
- Fox Berlin
- Al-Ahly
- Kuwaiti Burgan
- The winner of the match between Hungarian Veszprém and Australian Sydney
Thus, we find that if Al-Zamalek qualifies for the group stage, its group will be average because it will not face a strong team except Barcelona, the title holder.
While Al-Ahly's group will be a strong group because it will include two teams from Europe, namely Fox Berlin and Hungarian Veszprém if it qualifies for the groups, with the presence of Burgan Kuwaiti, the Asian Club Champion.
Competition System
The top of the first group and the second group qualify for the final of the Handball Club World Championship
While the second-placed teams from each group play for third place and bronze.
While the third-placed teams from each group play for fifth place.
While the fourth-placed teams from each group play for seventh place.
Spanish Barcelona is the most crowned team with the Handball Club World Cup with 6 times.
Al-Ahly participates as the host of the tournament because it is the champion of the Egyptian League for the 2025-2026 season.
While both Al-Zamalek and Hungarian Veszprém participate with a wild card granted to them by the International Handball Federation.
