African Championship: Nigeria Suffers Defeat Against Angola, Faces Egypt

African Championship: Nigeria Suffers Defeat Against Angola, Faces Egypt

Sampson Adedeji

Nigeria’s impressive run at the 2026 African Men’s Handball Championship suffered a setback on Sunday as the Golden Arrows were narrowly defeated by Angola in their opening match of the main round, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The defeat came after a strong group-stage showing by Nigeria, who began their campaign in emphatic fashion.

Drawn in Group A, the West Africans stunned seven-time champions Algeria 25–23, taking control of the contest with a decisive 4–0 scoring run midway through the first half.

Nigeria followed that statement win with dominant performances against Zambia and hosts Rwanda, recording convincing victories of 36–18 and 30–20 respectively.

Those results saw the Golden Arrows finish top of their group and emerge as one of the leading contenders for a semi-final spot.

However, Angola proved a stern test in the main round, edging Nigeria in a closely contested encounter to underline the heightened competition at this stage of the tournament.

The main round, which commenced on Sunday, will conclude on Tuesday.

According to the competition format, the top two teams from each main round group will advance to the semi-finals and secure automatic qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship in Germany.

 In addition, the fifth-placed team, determined through placement matches, will also earn a World Championship ticket, keeping Nigeria’s hopes alive despite the loss.

Nigeria will now turn their attention to a decisive clash against defending champions Egypt in their final main round fixture on Tuesday.

The outcome of that encounter will play a significant role in determining whether the Golden Arrows can book a historic semi-final place at the first African Men’s Handball Championship hosted in East Africa.

With qualification still within reach, Nigeria will be aiming to respond strongly as they continue their pursuit of continental success and a place on the world stage.