APR Handball club players vie for the ball against a Police handball club defender during the final match of the league at Kimisagara. Sam Ngendahimana.

The 2019 handball national championship will kick off on January 26, according to the Rwanda Handball Federation secretary-general Jean Paul Ngarambe.

The men’s championship will feature twelve clubs while there are ten teams for the women’s league.

Police handball are the defending champions in the men’s category while Es Kirambo are the women’s champions.

“The league will kick off on January and it will be played in two phases, home and away, while the top four teams will meet in the playoffs,” Ngarambe said.

Ngarambe noted that the general assembly held on Saturday approved three new clubs for next season.

The three new clubs include, Es Kabarondo (in men and women), and Es St Joseph Karuganda in the women’s category.

Ngarambe said the general assembly also discussed last year’s activities as well as the forthcoming season.

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