DHAKA, June 6, 2026 (BSS) - The age-group men's Int'l Handball Federation (IHF) Trophy will begin on Wednesday (June 10) at the Shaheed Captain M. Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium in Paltan here.

Dhaka has previously hosted three international handball tournaments. However, the Bangladesh Handball Federation (BHF) expects this year's event to surpass all previous editions.

The tournament will feature six nations, India, Nepal, Yemen, Maldives, Afghanistan and host Bangladesh.

In the Under-20 category, the teams will be divided into two groups

India, Nepal and Yemen grouped in A while Group B consists with Maldives, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

The champions and runners-up from each group will advance to the semifinals. The final will be held on June 14.

Matches in the Under-18 category will be played in a round-robin league format, with the team earning the most points crowned champion.

To improve the standard of handball worldwide and provide young players with international playing opportunities at the grassroots level, the IHF has divided Asia into several geographical zones. 

According to IHF regulations, South and Central Asia together form Asian Zone 2. The age-group IHF Trophy is one of the major tournaments under this zone. The champion team from this zone will qualify for the continental stage of the competition involving teams from across Asia.

Ahead of this year's competition, the Bangladesh teams have undergone intensive training for two months.

Under-20 captain Ratul Uddin expressed his optimism to reach the final by winning every group-stage match.

He said, "Our preparation has gone well. To reach the final, we must perform strongly in the group stage. Our first goal is to become group champions."

Under-18 captain Asadullah Adib was also found confident with the team's preparation.
 
He said, "We have been training for the last two months. We played practice matches against the national team, Bangladesh Police, BGB, and the Dhaka team. We tried to correct our mistakes after every match. Since we are playing at home, I hope we can give our best and become champions."

In this regards, Bangladesh Handball Federation (BHF) organized a press conference today (Saturday) at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Olympic Association to provide all the details of the meet. 

BHF vice presidents Dr. Abu Nasr Mohammad Abdullah and Mohammad Majnu Mollah, its general secretary Md. Salauddin Ahmed, Head of Marketing Abdullah Al Mamun from sponsor Dhaka Ice Cream Industries Limited, Under-18 team manager Kamrul Islam, Under-20 team manager Mohammad Selim Mia and tournament coordinator Rashida Afzalun Nessa were also present on the occasion.