By Jide Olusola
Nigeria’s under-23 men’s handball team has been placed in Group B alongside the USA, Azerbaijan, and Moldova for the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship, set to take place in Varna, Bulgaria, from March 11 to 16, 2025.
The International Handball Federation (IHF) announced the groupings yesterday following the official draw at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.
Led by Coach Solomon Yola, the Nigerian team is no stranger to two of its upcoming opponents. They previously faced the USA in the 2019 edition held in Georgia, suffering a group-stage defeat, while they secured a victory against Azerbaijan in the 2023 tournament in Bulgaria.
Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) President Samuel Ocheho expressed confidence in the team’s ability to improve on their past performances. He assured that the federation would provide all necessary support to ensure a successful outing at their third appearance in the competition.
“This is a tricky group for our boys but i see opportunities as it is an opportunity for the team to improve on their previous 7th place standings in the championship.” Ocheho said
“We also know our opponents in this competition and we will give all the necessary support for the team to succeed because we believe they will thrive in the championship “. He said.
Ocheho also appealed to the National Sports Commission to also support the efforts of the HFN in their continued push to put Nigeria handball in the global space.
The IHF Emerging Nations Championship is a competition organized by the world Handball governing body, the International Handball Federation (IHF) for countries participating in the four year plan of the European Handball Federation and some of the best ranked countries that didn’t qualify for the World’s Men Handball Championship.