Xinglong Lake welcomes beach handball for one last time as the men’s and women’s competitions at The World Games Chengdu 2025 conclude with the 7/8 and 5/6 placement matches, plus bronze and gold medal games.

40 games have been played and just eight remain – who will end atop the Chengdu 2025 podium?

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Time for Argentina to grab second global gold?

In the women’s final Argentina face title-holders and world champions Germany in a repeat of the 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship final, held last year, also in China.

That gold medal match ended 2-0 (24:16, 21:18) to Germany, who are currently on a record The World Games winning run of 14 games stretched over their last three appearances (2005, 2022 and 2025).

One of those victories came at The World Games Birmingham 2022 in the USA, with the European side taking a 2-1 (14:19, 19:16, SO 6:5) win in the preliminary round.

Argentina already have silver (2017) and bronze (2022) in The World Games and with half of their squad – and coach – gold medal winners at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, they will be desperate to stand on top of the podium once more.

From a statistical point of view, Germany (12) and Argentina (10) top the blocked shots table, while Argentina are miles clear at the top of the in-flight scoring charts, with 41.

Argentina’s Gisella Bonomi is the top-scorer (62 points) with Germany’s Lena Klingler just behind (58). Assists-wise, the two teams top the charts as well with Argentina’s Lucila Balsas at the summit (25) followed by Belen Gettwart, the Germany sitting on 22. Germany have the most goals scored, with 112, Argentina in third place, behind Spain on 100.

Overall, both have won all five of their games so far, but Germany remain the only perfect team in Chengdu – they have not conceded a set yet, winning their quintet 2-0.

The bronze medal match sees European champions Spain take on ANOC World Beach Games champions Denmark for the second time in The World Games history and second time in four days. The two teams met in the preliminary group at Chengdu 2025, Spain beating the debutants 2-0 (13:12, 19:18) in a tight encounter.

There is no doubt about which players are the offensive threat for both teams, Portugal’s Sara Pinho top of the assists and scoring combined charts with 73 (58 points, 15 assists), followed by Spain’s Jimena Laguna Contreras on 72 (60/12).

In the morning placement matches Vietnam take on Croatia for seventh spot with Portugal facing the hosts China for fifth place.

Portugal aim to stop Germany adding global title to continental one

One year ago in China, Portugal and Germany met in the bronze medal match of the 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship on Pingtan Island.

In a tight first set, Portugal edged it by a point, before winning the second, also by one score, taking a 2-0 (25:24, 20:18) victory. The two had also met in the competition earlier on in the main round, that time, Germany confirmed a clear 2-0 (25:18, 17:12) victory.

Since then, Germany have gone on to win gold at the European Championship last month and those three medals on the international stage between the two sides are representative of what could be the new men’s teams on the block in 2025 – certainly if you consider that the world championship finalists from last year would have already played off for fifth place before the final gets underway on Tuesday.

Neither Portugal or Germany lead any particular statistical list, highlighting the diversity of skills and talent throughout their squads.

In terms of goalscoring, Tiago Costa is Portugal's leading shot-maker, scoring 71 points from his five games so far to place fourth overall, while Jannis Herr sits in sixth, leading the goals for Germany with 63 points.

Lars Zelser has 15 assists for Germany, sitting fourth, while Portugal's Rodrigo Gomes is in sixth, with nine. Costa and Zelser lead the combined points and assists for their countries, Costa on 75 (71/4) and Zelser on 72 (47/25).

But there is one list where the two teams excel and that is, not surprisingly as they can arguably boast that they have the best in the world, the men’s goalkeeping stats.

With 38 saves so far in five games, Portugal’s Ricardo Castro is way ahead of anyone else, the player closest to him, Germany’s Moritz Ebert on 32. Interestingly, they have faced roughly the same amount of shots each, with 135 and 137 respectively.

Having only failed to medal once (2005 – 8th), ever-presents Brazil will not want to add to that unwanted record when they take on Spain in the bronze medal match.

The two nations have met twice before at The World Games – both at the debut of the sport in Japan in 2001. Spain took down Brazil 2-0 (14:12, 15:14) in the preliminary round and then defeated them more clearly in the semi-final 2-0 (19:13, 14:11).

At the world championship last year the two teams met twice with honours even across two shoot-outs. First up, Brazil won 2-1 (16:18, 19:18, SO 6:4) in the preliminary group stage and then Spain defeated Brazil for fifth place, 2-1 (27:26, 18:20, SO 10:8).

Tunisia face China for seventh spot with the home side desperate to end on a high after losing all five of their matches 2-0. This included a preliminary group opening day 2-0 loss against Tunisia earlier on in Chengdu, the African side winning 16:14, 13:12.

Croatia take on Denmark for fifth – a repeat of the 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship final which Croatia won – in the morning placement matches. The two teams also met in the European Championship last month, Denmark winning 2-0 (21:20, 25:24).

The World Games Chengdu 2025 – Beach Handball: Day 6 schedule
(All times local, CST)

Tuesday 12 August

Women’s Competition

Gold Medal Match/Final
1630 Argentina vs Germany

Bronze Medal Match
1430 Spain vs Denmark

7–8 Placement Match 
1050 Vietnam vs Croatia

5–6 Placement Match
1050 Portugal vs China

Men’s Competition

Gold Medal Match/Final
1730 Portugal vs Germany

Bronze Medal Match
1530 Spain vs Brazil

7–8 Placement Match
1000 Tunisia vs China

5–6 Placement Match
1000 Croatia vs Denmark