CAIRO: Al-Ahly secured third place in the 2026 International Handball Federation Men’s Club World Championship on Thursday night.They defeated rivals Al-Zamalek 30-25 at New Capital Sports Hall in a clash that marked the first Cairo derby of the tournament.Veszprem HC of Hungary claimed the title after defeating Barcelona 42–33 in the final, also held in the venue on Thursday.Al-Ahly took a six-goal lead into half-time, and their superior experience ultimately secured their victory against Zamalek’s youth squad. Saif Hany was named the player of the match.The team finished second in Group B after three matches, losing their opening game against Veszprem (31-23) before winning the second against Kuwait’s Burjan (35-17) and the third against Fuchse Berlin (30-27).Meanwhile, city rivals Zamalek finished second in Group A, opening their campaign with a victory against Morocco’s Montada (42-17), before going on to lose the second against Barcelona (39-29) and then winning the third against Brazil’s Pinheiros (28-27).Ex-Zamalek player Hussein Zaki told Arab News that his former club’s lack of experience was the reason for the defeat, though they still had such talents as Hassan Kaddah who delivered strong performances during the competition.He added the championship had proved the strength of Egyptian teams as they faced those from Europe’s top clubs. Zaki said Zamalek were currently undergoing a squad rebuild, similar to that of Al-Ahly’s between 2017 and 2022.Meanwhile, ex-Al-Ahly player Saber Hussein told Arab News his former club’s squad experience and dominant six-goal lead in the first half made the match easier for them.He hailed their strong defensive performance, highlighting the team’s goalkeepers.Hussein said handball in Egypt has seen significant growth in recent years and that Egyptian players joining top European clubs has contributed to the strength of the national team. Al-Ahly’s podium finish was their third at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, following a second place in 2007 and a bronze medal in 2024 after a win over FC Barcelona in the third-place play-off.Zamalek ended up fourth for the third time in their appearances in the competition, previously taking the spot in 2011 and 2012, and secured their best result in the event for 14 years.