Here is your ready reckoner for the 29th edition of the World Men's Handball Championship, which will be held across five venues in Denmark, Croatia and Norway from January 14 to February 2
Defending champions Denmark will aim to reassert their dominance when they compete in the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship in Denmark, Croatia and Norway from January 14 to February 2. The holders had claimed the Olympic gold at Paris 2024, and are eyeing a fourth straight world crown after completing a title hat-trick two years back in Stockholm. (More Sports News)
Paris Olympics silver medallists Germany will be one of the strongest contenders, apart from 2023 World Championship runners-up France and bronze medallists Spain. France are the most successful team in tournament history with six titles. Only European teams have been victorious so far in the championship, with Qatar the only team from outside Europe to reach the final, doing so in 2015.
A total of 32 teams will take part in the championship, and have been divided into eight groups. The top three in each group will advance to the main round. The eight eliminated teams will fight it out for the President's Cup.
Results against other qualified teams will be carried forward to the main round, which comprises four pools of six teams. The top two in each will head to the knockout phase, which starts with the quarter-finals.
The 2025 edition of the World Men's Handball Championship is the 29th overall, and the first to be held in three countries - Denmark, Croatia and Norway. There are five venues in all, three of which are in Croatia - Arena Varazdin (Varazdin), Arena Zagreb (Zagreb) and Zatika Arena (Porec). Jyske Bank Boxen (Herning) is in Denmark, and Unity Arena (Oslo) in Norway. Unity Arena will host the medal matches on February 2.
Group A (Herning, Denmark): Germany, Czechia, Poland, Switzerland.
Group B (Herning, Denmark): Denmark, Italy, Algeria, Tunisia.
Group C (Porec, Croatia): France, Austria, Qatar, Kuwait.
Group D (Varazdin, Croatia): Hungary, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Guinea.
Group E (Oslo, Norway): Norway, Portugal, Brazil, United States.
Group F (Oslo, Norway): Sweden, Spain, Japan, Chile.
Group G (Zagreb, Croatia): Slovenia, Iceland, Cuba, Cabo Verde.
Group H (Zagreb, Croatia): Egypt, Croatia, Argentina, Bahrain.
Group Phase: 14-20 January
President's Cup: 21-28 January
Main Round: 21-26 January
Knockout Stage: 28 January-2 February
The telecast and live streaming details of the IHF Handball World Championship are not known yet. This space will be updated as and when there is a development.