Iran’s men’s national handball team will travel to Serbia for five friendly matches before the 2026 Asian Games. The camp will provide coach Nenad Kljaić with a valuable opportunity to assess his young squad.
Iran has already completed two preparation camps since Kljaić became head coach of the national team. Meanwhile, the coaching staff plans another training stage before the team travels to Serbia.
Hamid Sadeghi Shahneshin, a member of Iran’s coaching staff, said preparations include intensive physical and tactical training. Furthermore, Kljaić has gained a better understanding of the players and their individual abilities.
Currently, 23 players remain in training under the Croatian coach’s supervision. However, the coaching staff plans to reduce that number to 20 players during the next camp.
Iran faces a significant challenge because several foreign-based players cannot participate in the Asian Games. The tournament does not fall within the international calendar, so their clubs have no obligation to release them.
Iran will enter the competition with a younger squad than expected. Nevertheless, the coaching staff remains confident about developing a competitive team for Nagoya.
Iran has been drawn alongside South Korea, Bahrain, Kuwait and Kazakhstan in the Asian Games group. Moreover, Sadeghi described all four opponents as strong teams with serious ambitions.
The Serbian camp will therefore serve as an important technical assessment before the tournament begins. The five friendly matches will allow coaches to evaluate players under demanding competitive conditions.
The matches should help Kljaić identify weaknesses and improve tactical coordination throughout the squad. The coaching staff also expects the games to reveal areas requiring further improvement.
Despite the challenges, Iran has set an ambitious objective for the Asian Games. The federation wants the national team to compete strongly and challenge for a medal.
However, Sadeghi acknowledged that predicting qualification remains difficult because experienced foreign-based players will remain unavailable. Still, the coaching staff expects maximum commitment throughout every training session and match.
Iran is currently completing visa and travel arrangements for the Serbian camp. Afterward, the team will return home and continue preparations before traveling to Nagoya.
The Serbian matches could ultimately influence final squad selection and determine Iran’s tactical approach. Therefore, the camp represents an important step toward the team’s Asian Games campaign.