32 teams discovered their pathway for the 30th IHF Men’s World Championship after the preliminary round draw in Munich on Wednesday, 10 June, with coaches broadly satisfied as Germany 2027 begins to take shape. The 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship will be staged in six cities - Munich, Stuttgart, Kiel, Magdeburg, Hanover and Cologne - from 13 to 31 January 2027, under the motto “Where handball is alive”.

The preliminary round will be played in Munich, Stuttgart, Kiel and Magdeburg, with the main round and final weekend then moving to Hanover and Cologne, where the medals will be decided at the LANXESS Arena on 31 January 2027.

 

Favourites embrace the challenge

In Group D, a full South and Central American derby between Argentina and Brazil will be joined by France and Kuwait, offering a high‑profile stage for new France coach Talant Dujshebaev.

“I have a lot of respect for our opponents - Argentina, Brazil and Kuwait; we will be the favourites in this preliminary round,” Dujshebaev said for the French Handball Federation’s website, underlining both ambition and caution. “We will need to manage these first three matches in Stuttgart well before having to face two major handball nations. When I look at our potential opponents for the main round, it will be extremely difficult, most likely with Croatia, the world runners‑up, and Spain, along with either Chile or Turkey. These will be key matches in this World Championship, as we will be aiming for first place in the main round to reach the quarter‑finals.”

Croatia, Spain, Chile and Türkiye form Group C in Munich, setting up a strong crossover with Group D in the main round phase.

 

Denmark and Slovenia ready for Kiel test

Reigning champions Denmark will start their title defence in Kiel, where Group G brings together the Scandinavian powerhouse with Slovenia, the United States of America and Angola.

“We got a nice draw for the opening group stage. We just met the USA in Copenhagen, so we know them, but I just need to check on Angola,” said Denmark coach Nikolaj Jacobsen for the Danish Handball Association’s website. “We will meet at least one good team in the group stage, and Slovenia has a good handball team with many technically skilled players. Provided they qualify to the main round, Denmark will be paired with Group H, which consists of Iceland, North Macedonia, Bahrain and Japan. 

“The main round is not bad for us either, so until we reach a possible quarter‑final we could have had a much worse draw.”

On the other side of that Group G–Group H axis, Slovenia coach Uroš Zorman also welcomed the challenge ahead.

“In the preliminary group, we will face Denmark, and we all know what they mean in the world of handball - no words need to be wasted on them. There are also the national teams of the USA and Angola, against whom we will be the favourites. Against Denmark, however, we will look for an opportunity to achieve something more,” Zorman said, for the Slovenian Handball Federation’s website.

“At World Championships, it is quite important which group you cross with in the second stage. Iceland have been our regular opponents in recent times. Group H also includes North Macedonia, Bahrain and Japan. Against the top three teams in that group, we will look for our chances to reach the quarter‑finals. It is clear that nowadays everyone plays handball and there are no easy opponents. We will have to show the very best we are capable of to achieve our goals and reach our dreams.”

Zorman also sounded a note of caution, pointing to the long build‑up to January: “January and the start of the championship are still far away. We know the kind of problems we have had in the past with injuries and absences. Only just before the tournament will we know what the Slovenian squad will look like. Then we will be able to set our goals and try to achieve them.”

Hosts Germany “very satisfied” with Group A

Hosts Germany were drawn into Group A in Munich, alongside Serbia, Tunisia and Uruguay, and will play the opening match of the competition at SAP Garden on 13 January, against the African side.

“Actually, I’m very satisfied; we got a good draw. There are certainly tougher groups,” national coach Alfred Gislason summarised after the draw, while simultaneously warning: “You can’t underestimate anyone at a World Championship. If you want to go far, you have to beat everyone.”

Egypt, Italy and Cape Verde eye Cologne

In Group B, African champions Egypt start as favourites against Italy, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, with all four teams based in Stuttgart for the preliminary round.

“We are happy with this group. We will play against Egypt, one of the best teams at the World Championships and a very strong side,” said Italy coach Bob Hanning for the FIGH website. “But for us, it is positive to face strong teams in the first three matches, because we are strong as well and we can do something special.”

Hanning highlighted Cape Verde’s growing stature and the unknowns around Saudi Arabia, before looking further ahead: “If we are good enough, we will go to Cologne with the opportunity to play in front of 20,000 spectators. Our goal is to reach the Main Round and go to Cologne, trying to progress as far as possible. We start with the highest expectations and we will see. But first and foremost, we step onto the court to win.”
 

Scandinavian derby shapes Group E

In Group E, to be played in Kiel, a Scandinavian derby between Sweden and Norway headlines a section that also includes Greece - back at the World Championship for the first time since 2005 - and Qatar.

“It could have been both an easier and a more difficult draw, but now we know what we have to deal with,” said Sweden coach Michael Apelgren for the official website of the Swedish Handball Federation. “We know Norway very well after having faced them many times and they are a good national team. Qatar has been responsible for great performances over the years and Greece beat the Netherlands in the qualifiers, so they are also a good team. We will also have the chance to get to know Greece already this autumn.”

After being appointed as the Norway men’s national team coach last week, Magnus Andersson will lead the Scandinavian team against the side which he featured 310 times and scored 919 goals over a remarkable career that spanned from 1988 to 2003.

 

Portugal aiming to “take points with us”

Magdeburg will host Groups F and H, with debutants Faroe Islands joining Portugal, Poland and Algeria in Group F. For Portugal coach Paulo Jorge Pereira, the draw offers both opportunity and danger.

“We have Algeria, which may be the team with the fewest chances in the group; then we have Poland, a team we know relatively well and which is always dangerous. It’s one of those mid‑table teams that, on a good day, can beat any opponent. The Faroe Islands require us to prepare very well for the game, especially if they continue to play a lot of seven against six, with many variations,” he said, according to the official website of the Portugal Handball Federation.

Pereira also underlined the importance of carrying points into the main round, where Group F will cross with Group E: “It’s crucial to take points to the next phase. If we want to do even better than we did in the last World Championship - and doing better means fighting for medals – not taking points makes everything possible, but much more difficult. Therefore, finishing first in the preliminary phase is extremely important.”

Road to Cologne set

With the groups now known – from Germany’s opening game in Munich to the heavyweight clashes awaiting in Cologne, the roadmap to the quarter‑finals, semi‑finals and medal matches is clearly defined. The preliminary round will run from 13 to 19 January, followed by the main round from 20 to 25 January, before the quarter‑finals on 26 and 27 January, the semi‑finals on 29 January and the medal matches on 31 January 2027.

Photo credit: Marco Wolf / DHB