The rise of Handball in the Middle East

What began in 2019 with a single wall at the back of a tennis court in Sharjah has grown into one of the Middle East GAA’s great success stories. Back then, just six players lined out for the first tournament - a small but determined group that laid the foundations for what’s now a thriving handball community across the region.

In the early years, the focus was simply on getting numbers together for weekly sessions in Sharjah. By 2022, numbers had grown to 16 regular players, with newcomers from South Africa, India and England joining in, a major step forward for the sport locally.

That progress was reflected on the international stage last summer when four players from the Middle East represented the region at the O’Neills.com World Wallball Championships in Limerick: David Walsh (Sharjah Gaels), Darragh Ruane (Sharjah Gaels), Darren Carter (Dubai Celts) and Gearóid O’Muireadhaigh (RAK Rópairí).

It was a proud moment for Middle East GAA, proof of how far things have come since those early training sessions in Sharjah. From one wall and six players to competing on the world stage, handball in the region continues to grow and find new momentum, with courts now available in Sharjah, RAK and GEMS World Academy in Dubai.

While 2024 saw Middle East handballers represent the region globally, it also brought another important milestone - the arrival of the region’s first female player, Sile Spain (Abu Dhabi), who made history by competing in local tournaments for the first time.

Handball has become a regular fixture on the Middle East County Board calendar, with four tournaments held each year and a points system similar to the football and hurling/camogie leagues across the Senior, Intermediate and Junior divisions. The opening round of the league will take place at GEMS World Academy in Dubai on October 25, followed by round two in Sharjah on November 22.

With the GAA World Games taking place in Waterford next July, hopes are high for another strong showing from the region’s top players as handball in the Middle East continues its remarkable rise.

If you are interested in playing handball in the Middle East, please email darraghruane@hotmail.com