The curtain fell on Tuesday evening on the first edition of the UAE Friendly Gulf Handball Championship for youth national teams, organised by the UAE Handball Federation in cooperation with Shabab Al Ahli Club under the slogan "Proud of You, UAE". The tournament was hosted at the Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Hall at Shabab Al Ahli Club in the Mamzar area from 27 June to 1 July, with the participation of four Gulf national teams: the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. The competition served as preparation for the 19th Asian Youth Handball Championship (Under-20), scheduled in the Chinese city of Chuzhou from 15 to 26 July, which offers qualification for the 2027 Youth World Championship.
The Bahraini national team was crowned champion of the inaugural edition after defeating Qatar in the final by 32–24, with the first half ending 15–13 in Bahrain's favour. The result allowed the Bahraini side to avenge its first-round defeat to Qatar, which had ended 31–30, clinching the opening edition's title on merit despite the excitement and competitive spirit of the match. Qatar had to settle for second place and the silver medals.
In the third-place play-off, the UAE national team concluded its campaign on a positive note by defeating Oman 28–25, having led 18–13 at half-time. The UAE repeated its earlier victory over Oman in the tournament, claiming third place and the bronze medals, while Oman finished fourth.
Following the conclusion of the competition, an awards ceremony was held presided over by Engineer Saud Saleh, Chairman of the UAE Handball Federation Board of Directors; Federation Vice-Chairman Mohammed Hassan Al Suwaidi; Secretary-General Abdulsalam Al Muhairbi; Qatar Handball Federation President Hamad Al Nuaimi; Bahrain Handball Federation President Ali Issa; and Oman's Amin Al Dughaishy. Also in attendance were UAE Handball Federation board members Yousuf Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Hammadi, Yasser Al Naqbi, and Dr. Mona Al Raeesi, along with a number of officials.
The Bahraini team received the championship trophy and gold medals, while Qatar collected the silver medals as runners-up, and the UAE received the bronze medals after finishing third. Commemorative cups were also presented to all participating teams.
Shields were exchanged between the heads of delegations and participating teams in an atmosphere that reflected the spirit of brotherhood and sporting competition among Gulf counterparts. The Referees Committee, chaired by Yasser Al Naqbi, took care to honour the tournament's referees and technical observers.
Engineer Saud Saleh, Chairman of the UAE Handball Federation, congratulated the Bahraini team on being crowned champions of the first edition, as well as Qatar on its runners-up finish and the UAE on claiming third place. He also commended the distinguished performance of the Omani team, praising at the same time the technical levels demonstrated by all participating teams, which he said reflected the significant development taking place in Gulf handball.
He affirmed that the tournament had achieved all the objectives for which it was organised, both technically and administratively, and that it had provided valuable competitive preparation for the participating teams ahead of the upcoming Asian Championship, expressing his hopes for success for all Gulf teams in the continental event and for them to represent Gulf handball in the best possible manner.
He added: "We take pride in the success achieved in this first edition, which is the fruit of collective effort and fruitful cooperation among all the parties involved in the organisation. This reinforces our confidence in the continuation of the tournament in the coming years so that it becomes an annual preparation platform for Gulf national teams."
The UAE Handball Federation Chairman also extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to the brotherly federations of Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman for accepting the invitation and participating actively, praising the high sportsmanship that prevailed throughout all matches. He also commended the great cooperation provided by Shabab Al Ahli Club and its distinguished hosting of the tournament, which ensured all the ingredients for success.
He further expressed his appreciation for the tournament's referees, working committees, volunteers, and all technical, administrative, and media personnel who made great efforts and contributed with dedication to delivering the event in an honourable manner befitting the UAE's standing and its leadership in organising and hosting sporting championships, stressing that this success represents a motivation to continue organising further tournaments that serve the development of Emirati and Gulf handball.