The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) is pleased to award the hosting rights of the 21st Asian Women’s Handball Championship to the Kazakhstan Association of Handball Sports Federations. The championship will be held from 23 November to 3 December 2026 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
This will mark the third occasion that the Kazakhstan hosts the prestigious continental competition, coming 16 years after it previously staged the 13th edition in 2010 in Almaty.
In addition to the coveted title, the championship will also serve as the qualification event for the 28th IHF Women’s Handball World Championship, with the top four (4) teams securing direct qualification for the global tournament scheduled to be held in Hungary from 30 November to 19 December 2027.
The competition will see Japan enter as the defending champions, having captured their second consecutive title at the 2024 edition hosted in New Delhi, India. Historically, Republic of Korea is the most successful nation in the competition, each having lifted the championship trophy sixteen times.
The host nation, Kazakhstan, claimed the championship title twice, in 2002, and 2010 when they also hosted the competition.