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2025 World Men's Handball Championship qualification

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The 2025 World Men's Handball Championship qualification decided who qualified for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship in Croatia, Denmark and Norway. Qualifying occurred between February 2023 and June 2024. The championship will feature 32 teams for the third time.

Qualified teams

[edit]
  Team qualified
  Team failed to qualify
  Team withdrew or suspended
  Did not enter
Country Qualified as Qualified on Previous appearances1
 Croatia Co-host 28 February 2020 15 (1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Denmark 25 (1938, 1954, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Norway 17 (1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 United States Wildcard 18 October 2018 7 (1964, 1970, 1974, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2023)
 Brazil Top three at 2024 South and Central American Championship 18 January 2024 16 (1958, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Japan Semifinalist at 2024 Asian Championship 19 January 2024 15 (1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1990, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2011, 2017, 2019, 2021)
 Qatar 9 (2003, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Argentina Top three at 2024 South and Central American Championship 14 (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Chile 7 (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Kuwait Semifinalist at 2024 Asian Championship 21 January 2024 8 (1982, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009)
 Bahrain 5 (2011, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Sweden Semifinalist at 2024 European Championship 26 (1938, 1954, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 France 22 January 2024 24 (1954, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1978, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Cape Verde Top five at 2024 African Championship 23 January 2024 2 (2021, 2023)
 Algeria 16 (1974, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2023)
 Egypt 17 (1964, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Tunisia 16 (1967, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Germany Semifinalist at 2024 European Championship 24 January 2024 27 (1938, 1954, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 19902, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Guinea Top five at 2024 African Championship 26 January 2024 0 (debut)
 Iceland European playoffs 11 May 2024 22 (1958, 1961, 1964, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Austria 12 May 2024 7 (1938, 1958, 1993, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2021)
 Netherlands 2 (1961, 2023)
 Slovenia 10 (1995, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023)
 Czech Republic 6 (1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2015)
 Portugal 5 (1997, 2001, 2003, 2021, 2023)
 Hungary 22 (1958, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Spain 22 (1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Poland 17 (1958, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023)
 Italy 1 (1997)
 North Macedonia 8 (1999, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
 Cuba Winner of the 2024 Nor.Ca. Championship 7 (1982, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2009)
  Switzerland Wildcard 23 May 2024 11 (1954, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2021)
1 Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host country for that year.
2 From both German teams only East Germany was qualified in 1990

Slot allocation

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The slot allocation is as follows:

  • AHF (Asia): 4 slots
  • CAHB (Africa): 5 slots
  • EHF (Europe): 17 slots (including the three co-hosts)
  • NACHC (North America and the Caribbean): 1 slot
  • OCHF (Oceania): 0 slots
  • SCAHC (South and Central America): 3 slots
  • Wildcards: 2 slots

Summary

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Summary of qualification process

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The World Championship hosts will be directly qualified, along with the reigning world champions. In regards to the 12 performance spots, and based on the results of the 2023 Men's World Championship, Europe receives 11 more spots, while Africa takes 1.

Map of each IHF federation.
Detailed summary of 2025 World Men's Handball Championship qualification process
Confederation Direct slots Teams started Teams eliminated Teams qualified Percentage of entered teams with spots in finals Qualifying start date Qualifying end date
AHF 4 16 12 4 25% 11 January 2024 25 January 2024
CAHB 5 16 11 5 31.25% 17 January 2024 27 January 2024
EHF[E] 14+3+1 34+3 19 14+3+1 41.1% 1 November 2023 12 May 2024
NACHC 1+1 6 0 0+1 20% 6 May 2024 12 May 2024
OCHF[F] 0 or 1 1[G] 1 0 6.25% 11 January 2024 25 January 2024
SCAHC 3 10 7 3 30% 21 February 2023 20 January 2024
Total 27+3+2 76+3 49 27+3+2 21 February 2023 12 May 2024

Summary of qualified teams

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Competition Dates Host Vacancies Qualified
Host nations 28 February 2020 Egypt Cairo 3  Croatia
 Denmark
 Norway
2023 World Championship 11–29 January 2023  Poland
 Sweden 		1 None[H]
2024 European Men's Handball Championship 10–28 January 2024  Germany 3  France
 Germany
 Sweden
2024 Asian Men's Handball Championship 11–25 January 2024  Bahrain 4  Bahrain
 Japan
 Kuwait
 Qatar
2024 South and Central American Men's Handball Championship 16–20 January 2024  Argentina 3  Argentina
 Brazil
 Chile
2024 African Men's Handball Championship 17–27 January 2024  Egypt 5  Algeria
 Cape Verde
 Egypt
 Guinea
 Tunisia
2024 Nor.Ca. Men's Handball Championship 6–12 May 2024  Mexico 1  Cuba
European qualification 1 November 2023 – 12 May 2024 Various 11  Austria
 Czech Republic
 Hungary
 Iceland
 Italy
 Netherlands
 North Macedonia
 Poland
 Portugal
 Slovenia
 Spain
Oceania 0[I]
Wildcards 18 October 2018 Qatar Doha 2[J]   Switzerland
 United States

World Championship

[edit]
Main article: 2023 World Men's Handball Championship

World champion directly qualified for 2025 edition. However, 2025 co-hosts Denmark won the 2023 World Championship, so no one took the spot.

Rank Team
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Denmark
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  France
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Spain
4  Sweden
5  Germany
6  Norway
7  Egypt
8  Hungary
9  Croatia
10  Slovenia
11  Serbia
12  Iceland
13  Portugal
14  Netherlands
15  Poland
16  Bahrain
17  Brazil
18  Montenegro
19  Argentina
20  United States
21  Belgium
22  Qatar
23  Cape Verde
24  Iran
25  Tunisia
26  Chile
27  North Macedonia
28  South Korea
29  Saudi Arabia
30  Morocco
31  Algeria
32  Uruguay

Asia

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Main article: 2024 Asian Men's Handball Championship

Sixteen teams competed in the Asian Championship, held at the Sheikh Khalifa Sports City Hall in Isa Town, Bahrain, from 11 to 25 January 2024.[4] The top 4 reached the world championship. Since New Zealand, failed to make the top 5 of the championship, Oceania's spot was made into a second wildcard. Bahrain, Kuwait, Japan and Qatar reached the world championship.[5][6][7][8]

Rank Team
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Qatar
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Japan
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Bahrain
4  Kuwait
5  South Korea
6  Iran
7  United Arab Emirates
8  Iraq
9  Saudi Arabia
10  China
11  Chinese Taipei
12  Oman
13  Hong Kong
14  Kazakhstan
15  New Zealand
16  India
Qualified for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship
Oceanian representative

Africa

[edit]
Main article: 2024 African Men's Handball Championship

Sixteen teams competed in the African Championship, held in Cairo, Egypt, from 17 to 27 January 2024.[9] The top five from the championship qualified. Those teams ended up being Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Guinea and Tunisia.[10][11]

Rank Team
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Egypt
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Algeria
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Tunisia
4  Cape Verde
5  Guinea
6  DR Congo
7  Morocco
8  Angola
9  Nigeria
10  Cameroon
11  Gabon
12  Libya
13  Congo
14  Rwanda
15  Kenya
16  Zambia
Team qualified for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship

Europe

[edit]
Main article: 2024 European Men's Handball Championship

The three highest ranked non-qualified teams secure a ticket to the world championship. Since Denmark (who finished second) already qualified as a co-host, fourth placed Germany took the place.

Rank Team
1st place, gold medalist(s)  France
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Denmark
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Sweden
4  Germany
5  Hungary
6  Slovenia
7  Portugal
8  Austria
9  Norway
10  Iceland
11  Croatia
12  Netherlands
13  Spain
14  Montenegro
15  Czech Republic
16  Poland
17  North Macedonia
18  Georgia
19  Serbia
20  Faroe Islands
21   Switzerland
22  Romania
23  Greece
24  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Team qualified for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship
Team qualified for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship as co-host

European qualification

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Main article: 2025 World Men's Handball Championship – European qualification

From November 2023 to May 2024, the EHF organised a separate qualification for 11 places.

Bracket

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The draw took place on 27 January 2024 in Cologne.[12][13]

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Lithuania  49–69  Hungary 26–33 23–36
Slovenia  60–60
4–1 (p) 		  Switzerland 26–27 34–33
Portugal  55–45  Bosnia and Herzegovina 29–19 26–26
Georgia  56–64  Austria 25–27 31–37
Iceland  87–49  Estonia 50–25 37–24
Greece  56–58  Netherlands 31–27 25–31
Spain  54–53  Serbia 32–28 22–25
Italy  66–58  Montenegro 32–26 34–32
Romania  51–59  Czech Republic 31–30 20–29
Poland  61–54  Slovakia 28–29 33–25
Faroe Islands  60–61  North Macedonia 34–27 26–34

North America and Caribbean

[edit]
Main article: 2024 Nor.Ca. Men's Handball Championship

The championship will be held from 6 to 12 May 2024 in Mexico where the winner secures the regional ticket.[14] Had the United States won, second place would've taken the ticket. Cuba were victorious and qualified for the World Championship.[15]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Cuba 5 5 0 0 175 110 +65 10 Final
2  Mexico (H) 5 3 0 2 138 132 +6 6[a]
3  Greenland 5 3 0 2 143 137 +6 6[a] Third place match
4  United States 5 3 0 2 143 150 −7 6[a]
5  Puerto Rico 5 1 0 4 111 146 −35 2 Fifth place match
6  Canada 5 0 0 5 123 158 −35 0
Source: NACHC
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c Mexico 2 Pts, +8 GD; Greenland 2 Pts, –1 GD; United States 2 Pts, –7 GD

Final

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12 May 2024
17:00 		Cuba  36–21  Mexico Mexico City
Attendance: 279
Referees: Estrada, Pineda (COL)
Rodríguez 8 (18–10) Flores 4
 6×number 2 in light blue rounded square Report 1×Yellow card 2×number 2 in light blue rounded square

South and Central America

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Main article: 2024 South and Central American Men's Handball Championship

Six teams competed in the South and Central American Championship, held at the La Casa del Handball Argentino in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 16 to 20 January 2024.[16] The top three from the championship qualified. Brazil, Argentina and Chile would finish in top three and advance to the world championship.[17][18] Brazil were the first country from any region to qualify on 18 January 2024.[19]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Brazil 5 5 0 0 207 103 +104 10 2025 World Championship
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Argentina (H) 5 3 1 1 173 101 +72 7[a]
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Chile 5 3 1 1 151 107 +44 7[a]
4  Paraguay 5 2 0 3 114 188 −74 4
5  Uruguay 5 1 0 4 113 151 −38 2
6  Costa Rica 5 0 0 5 87 195 −108 0
Source: SCAHC
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Argentina 27–27 Chile

Wildcards

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After no Oceanian team achieved a top 5 finish in the Asian Championship, two wildcards were given out by the IHF. United States was given the first wildcard on 18 October 2018, in order to prepare them for the 2028 Summer Olympics which they are hosting.[2][3] Regarding the second wildcard, 12 nations reportedly applied, with 2 of the applicants unknown.[20]

On 23 May 2024, Switzerland was given the second wildcard by the IHF due to multiple reasons: their sporting merit, their commercial reach, their project and the IHF's TV partner asked the Swiss to be picked.[23][24][25] Prior to their selection, Switzerland's coach, Andy Schmid, stated that after their narrow penalty shootout loss to Slovenia, The Swiss' performance merited a wildcard.[26][27]

Notes

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  1. ^ All hosting federations are automatically entitled to take part in the World Championship. If there is more than one organiser from the same continental confederation, the number of compulsory places of the respective confederation shall be reduced accordingly. If there is more than one organiser and the organisers are not from the same confederation, the IHF Council shall decide about the reduction of the compulsory places, considering only the compulsory places of the confederations involved.
  2. ^ The reigning world champion automatically qualifies for the next World Championship and, as a rule, is placed first in the first performance row. In case the reigning world champion is also hosting the next World Championship, the confederation of the reigning world champion obtains one additional performance place.
  3. ^ The continental confederation of Oceania does not have a direct compulsory place for a confederational qualification event, therefore, the Oceanian confederation is invited to participate in the Asian qualification events. The compulsory place is awarded to Oceania if the representative from Oceania is ranked 5th or higher in the Asian qualification. If Oceania fails to rank 5th or does not participate, the IHF Council will award this place as a free wild card.
  4. ^ If the teams representing Oceania fail to finish in the top 5 of the Asian Championship or does not participate, the IHF Council will change Oceania's spot into a second wild card.
  5. ^ There are ways of qualifying from Europe, via the European Championship or European qualification
  6. ^ The Asian Championship acts as qualification for the Oceanian teams.
  7. ^ New Zealand, who is the only Oceanian who entered, participates in the Asian Champiponship to decides their qualification.
  8. ^ Denmark won the 2023 World Championship, but since they already qualified as a co-host, no one took the spot.
  9. ^ If countries from Oceania (Australia or New Zealand) participating in the Asian Championships would have finished within the top 5, they would have qualified for the World Championships. As they finished placed sixth or lower, the place was transferred into a second wildcard spot.
  10. ^ To bear in mind the 2028 Summer Olympics, the IHF Council awarded the United States wild cards for the 2025 and 2027 World Championships.[2][3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "V. Regulations for IHF Competitions (Indoor Handball)" (PDF). International Handball Federation. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Strategic plan | USA" (PDF). IHF.
  3. ^ a b "Council Meeting No. 3" (PDF). Doha, Qatar: IHF. 18 October 2018. pp. 8–9.
  4. ^ "IHF | 16 teams to compete for the title at the 2024 AHF Asian Men's Handball Championship". www.ihf.info.
  5. ^ "IHF | Qatar reach historic heights with sixth win in a row at the AHF Asian Men's Handball Championship".
  6. ^ "كونا : وزير (الشباب) يشيد بتأهل منتخب الكويت لكرة اليد إلى مونديال (2025) - رياضة - 26/01/2024". www.kuna.net.kw.
  7. ^ "第21回男子アジア選手権 試合日程・結果". 公益財団法人日本ハンドボール協会.
  8. ^ "日本４強、世界選手権へ＝ハンド男子". 時事通信ニュース.
  9. ^ "IHF | African powerhouses to battle for coveted 2024 CAHB African Men's Handball Championship title". www.ihf.info.
  10. ^ "IHF | Flawless Egypt celebrate continental title and Paris 2024 Olympic Games ticket".
  11. ^ https://www.aljazairalyoum.dz/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%A3%D9%87%D9%84-%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7/#:~:text=%D8%B6%D9%85%D9%86%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A8%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%86%D9%8A%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1%D9%8A%20%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AF%20%D8%AA%D8%A3%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9%20%D8%B0%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%87,%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%20%D9%83%D8%A3%D8%B3%20%D8%A5%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%20%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AF%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A9%20%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%20%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1.
  12. ^ "World Championship play-off draw sets up Spain and Serbia clash".
  13. ^ "FRH privește cu încredere spre Campionatul Mondial IHF 2025 și Campionatul European EHF 2026".
  14. ^ "2024 Men'S North American and the Caribbean Championship". IHF.
  15. ^ "IHF | Flawless Cuba seal title at the 2024 NACHC Men's North America and the Caribbean Championship". www.ihf.info.
  16. ^ "IHF | Tough battles expected at the 2024 South and Central American Men's Handball Championship". www.ihf.info.
  17. ^ "IHF | Brazil keep continental crown at the South and Central American Men's Handball Championship".
  18. ^ "¡selección chilena de balonmano marca Historia en el Balonmano Mundial con su Octava Clasificación Consecutiva! 🤾‍♂️". 22 January 2024.
  19. ^ Fardin, Victor (2024-01-19). "Brasil bate o Chile e se classifica ao Mundial masculino de 2025". Olimpíada Todo Dia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  20. ^ Ѓамовски, Ристо. "Швајцарија оди на СП со вајлд карта". g-sport.mk.
  21. ^ https://www.cdm.me/sport/rukomet/rscg-aplicirao-za-vajld-kartu-od-velikog-znacaja-je-da-lavovi-nastave-kontinuitet-ucesca-na-velikim-takmicenjima/
  22. ^ https://rss.org.rs/#vest:14401
  23. ^ "IHF | 2025 IHF Men's World Championship wild cards announced". www.ihf.info.
  24. ^ "Endrunde sportlich verpasst - Dank Wildcard: Schweiz fährt doch noch an die WM". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF). May 23, 2024.
  25. ^ "IHF vergibt Wildcard an die Schweiz – die Nati fährt an die WM 2025! - Handball Schweiz". www.handball.ch.
  26. ^ "Kann die Schweizer Handball-Nati dank einer Wildcard doch noch an der WM 2025 teilnehmen?". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF). May 13, 2024.
  27. ^ https://www.handball-world.news/artikel/diese-nationen-wollen-die-wildcard-fuer-die-handball-wm-1024641
[edit]
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