The 2017 IHF Super Globe opens in Doha, Qatar on August 25 with German side Füchse Berlin aiming for their third consecutive title. Berlin begin their campaign against new Pan American champions Esporte Clube de Pinheiros, who dethroned four-time winners HC Taubate to make their way to the 11th Super Globe. 
The quarter-final day begins with record EHF Champions League winners FC Barcelona taking on Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, before current Champions League and SEHA League title holders HC Vardar meet Naft-O-Gas-Gachsaran. Hosts Al Sadd wrap up day one of competition against six-time Oceania champions Sydney Uni Handball Club. 

Quarter-final 4: FC Barcelona (ESP) vs Esperance Sportive de Tunisie (TUN) 13:00 local time

2013 and 2014 IHF Super Globe champions FC Barcelona begin their 2017 campaign against the fifth-ranked side from last year’s event, Esperance Sportive de Tunis. On paper it would seem the record EHF Champions League winners have the upper hand against the African team, but Barca coach Xavi Pascual made it clear before travelling to Doha that his team do not expect any match to be easy. 

“The Super Globe is important, as all the titles that are at stake,” Pascual told the official FC Barcelona website. “We are aware of the difficulty it entails.”

The timing of the Super Globe at the beginning of the season makes it a significant test for teams to see how their new rosters are coming together, with Barcelona welcoming the likes of 2017 Men’s World Championship bronze medallist Jure Dolenec (Slovenia) and recent Junior World Championship bronze medallist, France’s Yanis Lenne. 

Barcelona, who are undeniably the most successful team in Spain with a record number of domestic and European titles, meet a record Tunisian championship-winning side featuring their own new transfers such as Amine Bedoui, Mustapha Ben Fadhl and Amir Denguir. 

The winner of the opening 2017 Super Globe clash will take on the victors of quarter-final 3, HC Vardar or Naft-O-Gas-Gachsaran. 

Quarter-final 3: HC Vardar Skopje (MKD) vs Naft-O-Gas-Gachsaran (IRI) 15:00 local time

Both HC Vardar and Naft-O-Gas-Gachsaran make their IHF Super Globe debut in 2017. 

Vardar enter the tournament on the back of their first ever VELUX EHF Champions League title win – which was also the first for any Macedonian club. The 2016/17 season was a superb one for Vardar, as they raised not only the Champions League trophy, but claimed the SEHA League title and won the domestic championship and Cup. With these recent results, Vardar are considered one of the strongest contenders for the 2017 Super Globe title, and Naft-O-Gas-Gachsaran will face a difficult test in their opening match. 

Gachsaran come into the competition after ranking fourth in the 2016 Asian Champions League, where they lost the bronze-medal match to Lekhwiya Sports Club by a 10-goal score line at 21:31. Gachsaran were defeated in the semi-final by the team that went on to win the title, Al-Noor Club. 

It appears the European team have the edge in this encounter, but Vardar cannot afford to underestimate the unknown Asian side. 

Quarter-final 2: Füchse Berlin (GER) vs Esporte Clube Pinheiros (BRA) 17:00 local time

Defending champions Füchse Berlin made clear statements about their strength when they won back-to-back Super Globe titles in 2015 and 2016, defeating powerhouse Champions League sides like FC Barcelona, Veszprem, PSG and Kielce to make their way to the podium two years in a row.

“We want to defend the title,” says coach Velimir Petkovic. “We are very proud to win the title the last two years. The Super Globe is important for us because of its prestige.

“In my opinion Vardar Skopje and FC Barcelona are favourites to win the tournament, but we also want to have some say!” continues Petkovic, whose team ranked fourth in the competitive German Bundesliga in 2016/17 and won the EHF Cup in 2015. 

“Pinheiros are a good team. South American handball made a great development during the last years. We will go with big respect into the match,” concludes Petkovic. 

Esporte Clube Pinheiros qualified for the 2017 Super Globe after dethroning perennial Pan American club champions HC Taubate, who won the previous four editions of the continental competition, 28:20 in the final. Several current and former members of Brazil’s national teams are key in their roster – such as Diogo Hubner, Marcos Paulo dos Santos, Rudolph Hackbarth and Pedro Pacheco – along with Argentinian international Souto Cueto. 

Although Pinheiros face a difficult task in the form of the two-time Super Globe champions Berlin, nothing is decided until the teams take the court for the first match in Duhail. 

Quarter-final 1: Al Sadd (QAT) vs Sydney Uni Handball Club (AUS) 19:00 local time

Al Sadd and Sydney Uni Handball Club met in the first stage of the IHF Super Globe at the two previous editions of the competition, with the Australian side pulling off their first victory at the event in 2015 (21:20) before the host club took revenge in 2016 with a 34:18 win. The teams take the court once again for what is now something of a traditional rivalry, after Sydney won their sixth Oceania title earlier in the year while Al Sadd were automatically qualified as hosts of the tournament. 

Sydney have been preparing for the Super Globe with a training camp and friendly matches in Poland against first and second division teams. 

“Our training camp in Poland, which was a mix of training sessions and friendly games against some top league teams, was invaluable and allowed us to bring the team together and get ready for the Super Globe,” says new coach Lionel Puyhardy. 

“My expectations for our first game in Doha are simple: start strong and control the ball as much as we can to keep the game levelled. If the opportunity is there for us to win this game we will undoubtedly seize it.”

The winner of the Sydney-Al Sadd encounter will take on either Berlin or Pinheiros in the semi-final. 

All quarter-final matches will be played in Duhail Sports Hall on Friday, August 25.