Tick-tock—do you hear the clock ticking? That familiar sound signals a special time of the handball calendar, as the countdown to the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship has officially begun. With Monday, 18 August, marking the start of the final stretch before throw-off, excitement is building ahead of the global women’s flagship event, which will be staged across five venues in Germany and the Netherlands.

The opening matches are set for Wednesday, 26 November. Stuttgart will host Serbia against Uruguay, followed by co-hosts Germany taking on Iceland, while the SWT Arena in Trier will witness Spain facing Paraguay and Montenegro clashing with debutants Faroe Islands. From that moment, the race for glory will truly be underway.

In preparation for the 27th edition of the championship, much has already been unveiled over the past months, including the playing schedule and the official motto of the event, “Hands up for more.” This year’s tournament will also mark the third time in history that the competition has been jointly hosted, following Austria/Hungary in 1995 and Norway/Denmark in 1999.

Teams prepare for their opponents

The draw, held on 22 May 2025 at the Noordbrabants Museum in ’s-Hertogenbosch, mapped out the road to the main round for the 32 teams. Several groups already promise tense battles: Group A looks particularly balanced, with Denmark, Romania, Croatia and Japan fighting for progression. Group C features co-hosts Netherlands alongside Austria, Argentina and Egypt, while Group D brings together Montenegro, Spain, Paraguay and the Faroe Islands in what could be some of the most unpredictable clashes of the opening phase.

You can learn more about the groups at Germany/Netherlands 2025 here.

Tickets still available

With anticipation growing, fans around the world now have the chance to be part of the action. Tickets are available for all stages of the championship, offering supporters the opportunity to experience the atmosphere live in the arenas throughout Germany and the Netherlands. From preliminary round thrillers to the decisive knockout matches, every pass, goal and save can be witnessed firsthand.

All available tickets can be found in the tickets section on the official website of the competition.