The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) is pleased to announce the match schedule for the 1st Asian Women’s U-16 Handball Championship, which will be held from 10 to 18 May 2026 at the Dostyk Universal Sports Complex in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
This inaugural edition of the championship will feature six participating teams, namely Hong Kong–China, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, People’s Republic of China, and Uzbekistan. The competition will be played in a single group round-robin format, where all teams will face each other during the preliminary stage before advancing to the semi-finals and medal matches.
The championship will officially commence on 10 May 2026, with opening day fixtures featuring Islamic Republic of Iran taking on Hong Kong–China, followed by People’s Republic of China facing Kyrgyzstan, and hosts Kazakhstan meeting Uzbekistan. The group stage will continue over the following days with a series of matches including key encounters such as Kazakhstan versus Islamic Republic of Iran on 11 May, People’s Republic of China versus Hong Kong–China on 13 May, and Islamic Republic of Iran versus People’s Republic of China on 14 May, among others, ensuring a competitive and balanced schedule for all teams.
The preliminary round will conclude on 15 May 2026, after which the teams will progress to the knockout phase. The semi-final matches are scheduled to be held on 17 May 2026, where the top four teams will compete for a place in the final. The championship will culminate on 18 May 2026, with the bronze medal match followed by the gold medal match, where the first-ever champions of this newly introduced competition will be crowned.
In addition to the continental title, the championship will also serve as the Asian qualification event for the 1st IHF Women’s U-16 Handball World Championship, to be held from 15 to 24 October 2026, with the top two teams securing qualification for the global event.
The AHF looks forward to a successful inaugural edition of the championship and expresses its confidence in the organizers and participating teams to deliver a high standard of competition, contributing to the continued development of youth handball in Asia.
To view the competition website and full match schedule, click here.