Egypt gears up for IHF youth worlds
Source: Egyptian Gazette
CAIRO – With just days remaining, Egypt’s U-19 handball team, led by head coach Tarek Mahrous, is putting the final touches on its preparations for the 2025 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, set to take place on home soil from August 6 to 17.
The highly anticipated tournament will feature 32 teams from across the globe, competing under the slogan “Egypt Welcomes the World.”
The line-up currently includes 17 European nations, five African teams, five Asian representatives, three teams from South and Central America, and one from the North America and Caribbean region.
Egypt, drawn in Group G alongside Japan, South Korea, and Bahrain, will play all its group-stage matches at the main hall of Cairo International Stadium.
The Pharaohs will kick off their campaign against South Korea on August 6 at 7:30 PM (Cairo Local Time), before taking on Bahrain the following day at the same time. Egypt will wrap up the group stage with a showdown against Japan on August 9, also at 7:30 PM (CLT).
Warm-up campaign
As part of their build-up to the tournament, the national team played three friendly matches in July.
Earlier in the month, the Pharaohs had also recorded a convincing 36–17 win over Algeria.
They defeated Saudi Arabia 35–27 on July 28, having led 18–15 at halftime. Following regular time, both sides practiced penalty shootouts, with Egypt edging it 4–3.
Two days later, they secured a 40–33 win over Tunisia.
Coach Mahrous emphasized the importance of these games in fine-tuning the team’s tactics and boosting morale ahead of the World Championship.
The team returned to training after a brief rest following their participation in the Open European Championship in Sweden, where they finished sixth. Egypt delivered a strong performance, defeating Finland, Poland, Estonia, and the Faroe Islands, drawing with the Netherlands, and suffering losses to Spain and Iceland.
The Pharaohs capped their campaign with a 27–22 win over the Faroe Islands in the placement round for fifth to eighth place.
Mahrous expressed confidence in his squad, calling them a “distinguished generation” capable of delivering a strong performance on the global stage.
While acknowledging the difficulty of the challenge ahead, particularly against top European teams, he maintained that nothing is impossible.
He also appealed to Egyptian fans to show up in numbers at Cairo Stadium, emphasizing that their presence would provide a vital psychological boost for the players.
Head coach Mahrous praised the commitment of his young squad, describing them as “a distinguished generation determined to make the nation proud.”
He acknowledged the challenges ahead, especially with strong European competition, but stressed that nothing is impossible.
The tactician also made an emotional appeal to fans: “We need the support of Egyptian fans in the stands. Their presence gives our players a massive psychological boost, and we promise to fight for every point to make them proud.”
World-class venues
The 11th edition of the tournament will feature a record 32 teams, matching the expanded format first introduced in Croatia 2023.
The event will be held across four world-class venues: Main Hall – Cairo International Stadium, Hall 2 – Cairo International Stadium, Hassan Moustafa Hall – 6th of October City and New Administrative Capital Olympic City Hall.
Group A and B matches will be played at Hassan Moustafa Hall. Groups C and D at the New Capital Hall. Groups E and F at Cairo Stadium’s Hall 2, and Groups G and H—including Egypt—at the main hall of Cairo Stadium.
Unlimited ambition
Khaled Fathy, President of the Egyptian Handball Federation, echoed Mahrous’s optimism, expressing full confidence in the team’s potential.
“Our ambitions are limitless. We believe in this generation, and with the full support of the federation and fans, they can go far in this tournament,” Fathy said.
Fathy also confirmed the readiness of all venues, with Egypt aiming to deliver a world-class hosting experience.
He also noted that the current squad includes several promising talents who will play key roles in Egypt’s handball future.
This year’s edition marks Egypt’s ninth participation in the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship.
Rich legacy
Egypt boasts a rich history at the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, including their historic title win in the 2019 edition in North Macedonia.
The Pharaohs have a proud history in the tournament, including their historic title win in the 2019 edition in North Macedonia.
Their previous finishes include sixth in Qatar (2005), fifth in Bahrain (2007) and Argentina (2011), twelfth in Tunisia (2009), fourteenth in Hungary (2013) and Georgia (2017), fifteenth in Russia (2015), and fourth in Croatia-Slovenia (2023). The 2021 edition scheduled in Greece was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Group draw
Group A: Sweden, Portugal, Kuwait, Austria
Group B: Hungary, Switzerland, Morocco, Kosovo
Group C: Serbia, Spain, Croatia, Algeria
Group D: Iceland, Brazil, Guinea, Saudi Arabia
Group E: Germany, Slovenia, Uruguay, Faroe Islands
Group F: Norway, France, Argentina, Mexico
Group G: Egypt, Japan, South Korea, Bahrain
Group H: Denmark, Tunisia, Czechia, USA
The original article: belongs to Egyptian Gazette .
