Kuwait Club Seeks Third Consecutive Arab Cup as Kazma Eyes Historic First Title

Kuwait Club Hopes for a Hat-Trick as Kazma Targets Its First Title The 40th Arab Clubs Handball Championship for league and cup winners concludes today at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex, where an electrifying final showdown is set for 6:30 p.m. between defending champions Kuwait Club and hopeful contenders Kazma. Earlier in the day, at 4:00 p.m., Egypt’s Al Ahly Bank will square off against Iraq’s Al-Hashd in the third-place match, adding to the day’s high-stakes lineup. Having lifted the prestigious Arab Cup consecutively in 2023 and 2024, Kuwait Club now sets its sights on a historic third straight title. They first claimed the trophy with a commanding 33-24 victory over Egypt’s Zamalek in Dammam, and earned a second successive win last year by defeating Al-Salmiya at the same Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah venue. In addition to these triumphs, the club boasts two major international titles: the Gulf Championship and the Asian Championship. Meanwhile, Kazma is determined to claim its first ever Arab Cup title, having already secured two Asian Club Championships in its distinguished history. A win tonight would mark a milestone for the team and add new silverware to their trophy cabinet. The final is poised to deliver a fierce “Kuwaiti derby”, as both clubs are based in Kuwait and are familiar rivals. In their previous encounter in the preliminary round of Group A, Kuwait Club overpowered Kazma 33-24. However, the dynamics are different tonight — the stakes are higher, and there’s no room for error, with the Arab Cup title on the line for the victor and a runner-up spot for the defeated. Kuwait Club has been relentless throughout the tournament. They topped Group A with maximum points, defeating Al-Taliya, Kazma, Al-Shabab, and Naft Al-Basra in the group stage. They went on to dispatch Qatar SC in the quarter-finals and overwhelmed Al-Hashd 35-24 in the semi-finals. Star player Mohamed Amer was named Best Player for his standout performances. In contrast, Kazma finished their group campaign at second place, securing victories over Al-Shabab, Naft Al-Basra, and Al-Taliya. They bested Al-Salibikhat 31-24 in the quarter-finals and secured a solid 29-23 win over Al Ahly Bank in the semi-final. Hani Kaki was recognized as Best Player during that match. Historically, Esperance of Tunisia leads the list of Arab Cup champions with seven titles, while Egypt’s Al Ahly follows with five. Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) and MC Oran (Algeria) each have three titles. Among those with two titles are MC Alger (Algeria), Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia), Club Africain (Tunisia), Al-Khaleej (Saudi Arabia), and Kuwait Club. Over a dozen clubs have claimed the trophy once, including Al Ain (UAE), Al Rayyan and Al-Gharafa (Qatar), Zamalek and Sporting (Egypt), Al-Ahli (Bahrain), and Saqgiya Al-Zeit (Tunisia). All eyes now turn to the highly anticipated matchup between Kuwait Club and Kazma, as one team looks to prolong its dynasty, and the other, to finally break into the elite with its maiden Arab Cup triumph. Team V.DIR-EM-UAE