There are more than 11 months left until the start of the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship, which will see Germany host the competition for the seventh time, but preparations are now in full swing, with the draw taking place on 10 June 2026 in Munich, at the Hofbräuhaus.

The final picture is yet to be completed, with 13 places still to be awarded, as 19 spots are already secured. Germany, as hosts, and Denmark, as reigning world champions, were the only teams qualified before the continental competitions played in January.

From Europe, six teams are confirmed: hosts Germany, reigning world champions Denmark, plus Iceland, Croatia, Portugal and Sweden. With four World Championship places available at the Men’s EHF EURO 2026, the semi‑finalists secured qualification; as Germany and Denmark were already through, Portugal and Sweden claimed the two additional berths by finishing fifth and sixth.

 

Africa will be represented by Egypt, Tunisia, Cape Verde, Algeria and Angola, after Angola’s comeback win against Nigeria in the Placement Match 5/6 at the 2026 CAHB African Men’s Championship, earning their first World Championship appearance since 2021 and sixth overall. From Asia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Japan clinched their spots by reaching the semi‑finals of the 2026 AHF Asian Men’s Handball Championship. South and Central America provide four teams: Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, all qualifying from the 2026 South and Central American Men’s Handball Championship.

The line‑up will be completed by the winner of the North America and the Caribbean Men’s Handball Championship, ten teams from the European Qualification Phase 3 play‑offs in May 2026, plus two wild cards awarded by the IHF Council.

Based on the Regulations for IHF Competitions, the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship draw will be conducted using four performance rows. The preliminary round will consist of eight groups of four teams each, with the top three sides in each group progressing to the main round.

The allocation of performance and compulsory places to the Continental Confederations is made in accordance with the ranking of the Continental Confederations at the previous World Championship of the same gender, according to article 1.3.1 of the Regulations for IHF Competitions.

The IHF can confirm that the allocation for the performance rows has been decided.

Pot 1 will feature six European teams – reigning champions Denmark, hosts Germany, the runners‑up from the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, Croatia, Iceland, Portugal and Sweden – as well as the African champions, Egypt, and Argentina, the South and Central American champions.

Pot 2 will consist exclusively of European teams, with eight of the ten winners of the European Qualification Phase 3. With Qualification Europe Phase 2 still to be played, the full picture remains to be defined. The only two pairings already known for Phase 3 are France vs Czechia and Switzerland vs Italy. Slovenia will face the winner of Finland vs Montenegro for a place at the World Championship, Norway are due to meet either Türkiye or Romania, while Hungary will meet the winner of Serbia vs Lithuania. Spain will be favoured against either Georgia or Israel, while the Faroe Islands are targeting their maiden World Championship berth in a double‑header against either Bosnia and Herzegovina or Kosovo. The last place in Pot 2 will go to the winner of the double‑header between North Macedonia and the winner of Ukraine vs Slovakia.

In Pot 3, two European sides will be seeded, alongside Brazil – quarter‑finalists at the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship and runners‑up at the 2026 South and Central American Men’s Handball Championship – and the Asian champions, Bahrain. Two African teams – Tunisia and Cape Verde – plus another South and Central American side, Chile, are also in the third pot, with the North America and the Caribbean Men’s Handball Championship winner completing the row.

Pot 4 will contain Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, Algeria, Angola, Uruguay and the two wild cards, completing the 32‑team line‑up.

Pot 1: Denmark, Germany, Croatia, Iceland, Portugal, Sweden, Egypt, Argentina
Pot 2: France/Czechia, Finland or Montenegro/Slovenia, Norway/Türkiye or Romania, Serbia or Lithuania/Hungary, Spain/Georgia or Israel, Switzerland/Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Kosovo/Faroe Islands, Ukraine or Slovakia/North Macedonia
Pot 3: Netherlands/Greece or Belgium, Austria/Poland or Latvia, Brazil, Bahrain, Tunisia, Cape Verde, Chile, NACHC representative
Pot 4: Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, Algeria, Angola, Uruguay, Wild Card 1, Wild Card 2

The tournament will be played from 13 to 31 January 2027, with the playing order defined in the official match schedule. Preliminary round matches are distributed so that every team enjoys at least one rest day between games, ensuring no side plays on consecutive days and safeguarding player health and performance. The main round and President’s Cup follow immediately after the preliminary round, again observing at least one rest day between all matches for every team. The final weekend in Cologne will feature the semi‑finals, placement matches 5-8, the bronze‑medal match and the final, all staged with rest days between appearances for each team involved.

The preliminary round (two groups each) will take place in Munich, Magdeburg, Kiel and Stuttgart. The main round (two groups each) will be played in Cologne and Hanover, while the President’s Cup will be staged in Magdeburg. The knockout phase, including the quarter‑finals onwards, will be hosted at the LANXESS Arena in Cologne.

According to the Regulations for IHF Competitions, the organiser has the right to assign teams to groups. At this stage, Germany are confirmed to play in Group A in Munich, while Denmark will play in Group G in Kiel, taking advantage of the city’s proximity to the Danish border in order to attract as many Danish fans as possible.