Iran secured a decisive 63-14 victory over India on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Junior Handball Championship. The tournament, which began on July 15 in Chuzhou, China, runs through July 26 and functions as a qualifying event for the 2027 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship.

Competing in Group B alongside India, Iran had mixed results in the preliminary round. The Iranian team earned wins against Kuwait and Qatar, suffered defeats to South Korea and Japan, and recorded a draw with the United Arab Emirates. With the win over India, Iran confirmed their place in the knockout stage, where they are set to compete on Friday.

Group A features China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong. The championship is organized by the Asian Handball Federation and held biennially to determine the top junior men’s national teams across Asia.

South Korea remains the most successful team in the history of the tournament, having won a total of 13 medals, including three gold, seven silver, and three bronze. Meanwhile, the host nation China captured their sole championship title during the second edition of the event in 1990, which took place in Tehran, Iran.