Iranian Men's Handball Team Eliminated from 2026 Asian Games Quarterfinals

At the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, the Iranian men's team secured its first point after a tense match against South Korea, which ended in a 26–26 draw. This match was the third in the group stage of the tournament.

South Korea, holding the most medals in the history of Asian Games handball, entered the game after defeating Kuwait. The teams of Iran and South Korea, coached by Nenad Klajic, engaged in a very even battle from the first minutes.

During the first half, both teams exchanged goals, and Iran managed to take a slight lead, going into the break with a 14–13 advantage. Iran also started the second half confidently and tried to increase its lead, but South Korea prevented the game from getting out of control. The competition remained balanced until the very last moments.

After the end of the match, the referees awarded South Korea a penalty following a controversial incident. The Koreans converted the free kick, leveling the score at 26–26, which earned both teams points.

This draw marked the first point for Iran's campaign at the Asian Games 2026. Now, Klajic's team will focus on its final group stage match against Kazakhstan on Wednesday, as Iran aims to qualify for the next stage of the competition.

The Iranian men's handball team suffered a defeat against Bahrain with a score of 34:20 during the 20th Asian Games, which are taking place in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday.

Iranian Men's Team Lost to Bahrain in Nagoya

Earlier, the Iranian team faced difficulties, losing to Kuwait with a score of 26:24 in its first match of the tournament.

In the coming days, the Melli team will play against South Korea and Kazakhstan as part of Group B. Iran is led by Nanad Kliaich.

The men's handball competition at the 2026 Asian Games will be held in the cities of Inazawa and Kasugai, Japan, from September 19 to 29.

At the 2026 CAFA U17 Women's Championship, the Iranian team lost to Kyrgyzstan with a score of 2:1 on Tuesday.

After this match, the Persian national team will face Tajikistan on Thursday, and then Uzbekistan on Saturday.

The competition will take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from September 15 to 19. The goal of the tournament is to develop young footballers, prepare them for regional and world competitions, and showcase the best young talents of Central Asia.