HANDBALL – BAHRAIN have signed Serbian coach Predrag Petljanski to take charge of the kingdom’s senior men’s handball national team for the Arab Handball Cup 2025.
The regional competition is set to be played in Kuwait City from May 4 to 12.
Petljanski’s appointment was confirmed by the Bahrain Handball Federation (BHF).
He replaces former lead tactician Aron Kristjansson from Iceland, whose contract with the BHF had expired. Kristjansson has since moved on to take on the role of head coach for Kuwait’s senior men’s national team.
Kristjansson was in charge of Bahrain since 2018. He helped guide the nationals to qualifying for the men’s handball tournament at the Olympic Games for the first time ever in Tokyo, and also to multiple appearances in the world championships.Petljanski has had experience coaching in Bahrain in the past, having been in charge around a decade ago of Al Najma Club. He had also coached in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
The upcoming Arab competition is set to feature top-level teams from across the region, including Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Qatar, Saudi, the UAE, hosts Kuwait, and Bahrain.
It is being organised by the Kuwait Handball Association in cooperation with the Arab Handball Federation.
This year’s competition is the 10th edition of the event, which has been revived after a long hiatus, having been last held more than 20 years ago in 2002, when Bahrain won the title for the first and only time.
Other past champions include Egypt (1975 and 1977), Kuwait (1979 and 1988), Tunisia (1986 and 1993), Saudi Arabia (1998), and Algeria (2000).
The Arab Handball Cup 2025 is also set to be a preparatory event for the participating continental sides for the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship, which will be held in January and February next year.
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