TEHRAN – Iran defeated Kyrgyzstan 44-16 in the 1st AHF Asian Women’s U16 Handball Championship on Friday.

The Persian girls will face the winners of China and India on Sunday in the competition’s semifinals.

Iran had defeated Hong Kong 33-29 in their opening match and suffered three losses against Kazakhstan 38-33, Uzbekistan 34-21, and China 41-21 in Group A.

The competition takes place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from May 10 to 18.

The championship will also serve as the Asian qualification event for the 1st IHF Women’s U16 Handball World Championship, scheduled to be held from 15 to 24 Oct. 2026.

The top two teams will secure their qualification for the World Championship.