Egypt retained the African Men’s U-18 Handball Championship title after beating Tunisia 28-25 in the final in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, while Rwanda finished eighth among the 14 participating teams.
The tournament, the 22nd edition of the continental championship, concluded on Tuesday, September 22, with Egypt securing its fourth consecutive title and eighth in the last nine editions.
Egypt had also won the African U-20 title held earlier in Abidjan, underlining its dominance across the two youth categories.
Morocco claimed third place after edging Guinea 18-17. The two teams had been in the same group as Rwanda during the tournament.
Rwanda, coached by Bagirishya Anaclet, finished eighth after losing to hosts Côte d’Ivoire in the match for seventh place.
The game ended 26-26 after regulation time, forcing a penalty shootout. Côte d’Ivoire converted four penalties while Rwanda scored once, giving the hosts a 30-27 victory.
The tournament also served as a qualifier for the 2027 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, with the top five teams earning qualification.
The four semi-finalists were joined by Cameroon, which secured fifth place after defeating Nigeria 32-30.
Rwanda’s eighth-place finish means the team did not secure one of the five available qualification spots for the world championship.
