Since winning their first Championship in 2014, Qatar have been unstoppable in the continental tournament, beating Bahrain in three finals and South Korea in the last edition two years ago in Kuwait.

The 2015 world silver medallists - who have several foreign-born players in their squad - could match the record for most title victories in a row, currently held by South Korea from 1983 to 1993.

Pivotal to their campaign will be Cuban-born left back Rafael Capote who has scored 308 goals in 79 appearances.

South Korea is the most successful team in history with nine titles, but the last of these came in 2012.

Their best performance since then was at the last tournament, losing 33-21 in the final.

However, they are down to sixth on the continent in the world rankings, sitting 49th worldwide.

Japan and Bahrain are the closest to world number 14 Qatar in the rankings, in 29th and 31st respectively, followed by 39th-placed Iran and hosts Saudi Arabia in 45th.

The Japanese have withdrawn from the tournament due to several positive cases of COVID-19.

Thailand also withdrew, but prior to the draw.

Bahrain has yet to win a title, despite making the final on four occasions.

Kuwait has also won four titles from 1995 to 2006, but have not finished in the top four for 14 years.

They are in Group A with South Korea, Jordan and Singapore.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are drawn together in Group B with Australia and India; while Qatar are in all-Gulf State Group C with United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Oman.

Bahrain are likely to top Group D with Hong Kong, Uzbekistan and Vietnam to face now that Japan has withdrawn.

The top two in each progress to the a second round of groups, which determine the semi-finalists.

Competition is scheduled to start tomorrow, concluding on January 31.

All the matches are set to take place at the Ministry of Sports Hall in Dammam, Saudi Arabia's sixth-biggest city and a major administrative centre for the country's oil industry. 

The top five teams from the Championship will directly qualify for the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship, to be held jointly by Poland and Sweden.

Saudi Arabia was awarded the tournament after the Championship was moved in September by the Asian Handball Federation due to the spread of COVID-19 in the initial host country, Iran.