African Championship 2026/27

The African Handball Nations Championship stands as the premier competition for national handball teams on the continent. Organised by the African Handball Confederation, it occupies the highest tier of the international pyramid for African nations. The event serves as the primary qualification route for both the IHF World Championship and the Olympic Games. Founded in 1974, it holds the distinction of being the oldest continental handball competition in Africa. The tournament operates on a biennial cycle, bringing together senior squads from across the region. The structure typically features sixteen teams split into four groups of four. The leading two sides from each group progress to a "Final Eight" knockout stage comprising quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. Egypt and Tunisia share the record for the most titles in the men's competition, each securing ten victories. Egypt claimed the most recent edition, defeating Tunisia 37–24 in the final held in Rwanda. In the women's category, Angola dominates with sixteen titles. They retained their crown in the 2024 championship in Kinshasa, overcoming Senegal 27–18. The competition remains distinct from the African Handball Champions League, which is the premier club competition featuring domestic league champions rather than national teams. While the club championship is held annually, the Nations Championship is strictly biennial. The participant type differs significantly, with national federations competing against each other rather than clubs. The qualification pathway for global events further separates the two, as the Nations Championship serves as the continental qualifier for the World Cup and Olympics, whereas the Champions League winner qualifies for the IHF Super Globe.