After Toppling China, Egypt's U-18 Women's Handball Team Sets Up Spain Showdown for a Place in the World Championship Final

6/8/2026

By: Assem Magdy

.News

Egypt's U-18 women's handball team continued to write a remarkable chapter in the nation's sporting history after securing a historic place in the semifinals of the IHF Women's Youth World Championship in Romania. The young Pharaohs edged past China with a thrilling 30-29 victory in a dramatic quarterfinal that remained undecided until the final seconds.

The achievement marks the first time in the history of Egyptian women's handball that the national team has reached the final four of the World Championship, highlighting the remarkable progress the sport has made in recent years.

Historic Qualification

Egypt entered the match full of confidence following an impressive run in the tournament and finished the first half with a commanding 17-13 lead. Although China mounted a strong comeback after the break and narrowed the gap in the closing minutes, the Egyptian players held their nerve to claim a memorable one-goal victory.

The semifinal berth capped a perfect campaign so far, with Egypt defeating Croatia, France, and Fiji in the group stage before overcoming South Korea and Denmark in the main round, then eliminating China in the quarterfinals to extend its winning streak to six consecutive matches.

Spain Awaits

Egypt will now face Spain in the semifinals on Friday, August 7, with a place in the World Championship final at stake. Head coach Mohamed Abdel Karim will be hoping his players can build on their outstanding momentum and continue their dream run.

Following the historic qualification, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi congratulated the team, praising the players for their unprecedented achievement and wishing them success in completing their journey and bringing further joy to Egyptian fans.

Throughout the tournament, the Egyptian squad has impressed with disciplined team play, determination, and resilience, defeating several powerhouse nations, including France, Denmark, and Croatia, to emerge as one of the biggest surprises of the competition.

With a medal now within reach, Egyptian fans are eagerly awaiting the semifinal showdown, hoping the young team can continue making history and usher in a new era for women's handball in Egypt.