Rabat — Morocco’s national handball team has been drawn into Group D at the 27th African Men’s Handball Championship which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda from January 21 to 31, 2026.
This edition of the tournament will determine the continental champion and will also be a qualifier for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship so it’s a big event for all the participating teams.
Around 16 teams will compete in the championship, divided into 4 groups in the first phase. Morocco will face Cape Verde, Benin and Republic of the Congo in their group.
Other groups are:
-
- Groupe A : Algérie-Nigeria-Rwanda-Zambie
- Groupe B : Égypte-Angola-Gabon-Ouganda
- Groupe C : Tunisie-Guinée-Cameroun-Kenya
- Groupe D : Cap-Vert-Maroc-RD Congo-Bénin
Groupe D
Cap Vert
Maroc
Congo
Bénin #CAN2026#RWANDA2026 pic.twitter.com/KnlBhCIkHM— Confederation Africaine de Handball (@DeConfederation) November 14, 2025
Group D and Morocco’s chances
The championship will take place in indoor venues in Kigali, Amahoro Stadium and it’s a big moment for African handball. Morocco’s Group D has teams with different levels of experience and competitive strength so it’s an opportunity and a challenge for the Moroccan team.
For the Atlas Lions, the focus will be on navigating the group phase well. A strong performance is key to reach the knockout phase and potentially finish top 5 to qualify for the World Championship.
The draw held on November 14 placed Morocco in Pot 2, so while the team is considered competitive it’s not among the top 1 seeded teams. This means each match will be decisive and consistency will be the key for Morocco to be a contender in the tournament.
As the tournament approaches all eyes will be looking at how Morocco prepares the team, manages the challenges of Group D and capitalizes on the opportunity to represent the country on a bigger stage. Within this intense competition, the Atlas Lions have a chance to build on recent successes (two bronze medals, achieved in 2006 and 2022) and strengthen Morocco’s reputation in African and world handball.
