After months of preparation, the U20 national handball team will finally get their chance to test themselves against Africa’s best when they face Guinea in their opening game of the 2026 African Men’s Junior Handball Championship in Abidjan on Saturday, September 5.

The team left for Abidjan earlier this week, but two key players, Jack Kayezu and Erias Nzanezimana, only arrived in the Ivorian capital on Friday morning after travelling separately from the rest of the squad due to delays in travel document processes.

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Both are expected to be available, although head coach Hafedz Zouabi might be cautious about starting them following the long journey and limited recovery time.

Despite the setback, Zouabi remains confident in his squad and believes his players understand the responsibility that comes with representing their country.

"They are very good players. They have the desire and they understand the responsibility they have to represent the country well,” Zouabi said.

Another challenge facing the team is adapting to the use of resin, which several players are not accustomed to.

"Several of them are not used to playing with resin. Some passes and scoring opportunities are being missed, but we are working on it,” the coach added.

Captain Thierry Ineza believes the team’s unity can help them overcome the challenges.

"In our team, we have good communication with each other, so we are good,” he said.

"We want to win this first game. It is very important to us, so we have to give everything,” he added.