As Rwanda prepares to host the African Men’s Handball Championship, excitement and responsibility are being felt in the national team camp.

According to the players and technical staff, the tournament represents not only a major moment for the country, but also an opportunity to measure progress and gain valuable experience on the continental stage.

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Head coach Hafedh Zouabi, a Tunisian tactician with more than 30 years of coaching experience, believes hosting the competition is both a challenge and a privilege for Rwanda.

"This is a real challenge for the Rwanda Handball Federation but everything is going well,” Zouabi said.

"The organisation and preparation are progressing smoothly, and this tournament is a great opportunity for our national team to represent Rwandan handball in the best possible way," he added.

Zouabi, 64, has coached in several countries including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and worked with the Tunisian national team.

The upcoming tournament will mark Rwanda&039;s second appearance at the African Championship, after finishing 14th out of 16 teams in 2024.

"Our objective is clear, we want to improve our ranking,” he explained. "We want to win at least two matches and qualify for the second phase. That is our first goal.”

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Drawn in Group A alongside Algeria, Zambia, and Nigeria, Rwanda will open the tournament on January 21 against Zambia, before facing Algeria and Nigeria.

"We know we cannot compete with the giants like Algeria, Egypt, or Tunisia, who have dominated African handball,” Zouabi admitted. "Our focus is on teams of our level, such as Zambia and Nigeria. These are the matches that will allow us to advance.”

Despite a recent defeat against Gabon in preparation games, the coach remains optimistic and called on fans to support the team.

"We apologise to the supporters for some results, but during official competition the reality is different from friendly matches. We ask the fans to come and support us. We want to make them proud of this team and this flag,” he declared.

Team captain and goalkeeper Peter Kwisanga echoed the excitement surrounding the event, describing Rwanda hosting of the African Handball Cup as "a big deal.”

"This is the first time Rwanda is hosting the Africa handball cup, and we are very happy and excited,” he said.

"Seeing big teams like Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt coming to Rwanda is something special for us," he added, pointing out that the tournament will help them gain experience.

"For many of us, this is only our second Africa cup, and we haven’t played many international matches yet. Facing top teams will help us improve our level.”

Despite being realistic, the captain made it clear that Rwanda is not just participating.

"We are not here only to participate. We are here to win. We want to pass the group stage, and then we will see how far we can go. Anything is possible.” he noted.

He called upon the fans to come and support the team.

"I invite all Rwandans to come and support us. Don’t stay home. Come and watch handball live. We promise to give our best and bring you joy.”

Another national team goalkeeper, Jackson Uwimana, emphasized the importance of experience and competitiveness.

"Playing in the Africa cup means a lot to me,” he said. "It helps us improve our experience and our overall level of play.”

Having already faced strong teams in previous editions, Uwimana believes hosting the tournament will accelerate Rwanda’s development.

"Facing teams like Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria is very important. They are tough teams, but playing against them helps us grow," he noted.

He was clear about the team’s mindset.

"We didn’t come here to put on a show or just participate. We came here to play and compete.”