24 teams ready for Spain 2019

18 Apr. 2019

With the final whistle at the 2018/19 IHF Trophy – Intercontinental Phase on April 14, the list of competitors for the 2019 IHF Men’s Junior (U21) World Championship was completed. Kosovo joined the 23 other teams already qualified for the event and can now look forward to the World Championship in the Spanish cities of Vigo and Pontevedra from July 16 to 28.

Slovenia, France, Germany, Portugal, Croatia, Iceland, Serbia, Norway, Sweden and Hungary all qualified for Spain 2019 via the 2018 Men’s 20 EHF EURO. The top 10 sides at the EURO are awarded places at the Junior World Championship. As Spain placed fifth at the event last summer, the 11th-ranked side (Hungary) also clinched a berth at the World Championship.

After placing 12th at the EURO, Denmark joined the other European teams as a replacement for Africa’s fourth place. As only seven nations contested the African qualification stage instead of the requisite eight, three African nations secured berths at Spain 2019. In accordance with Article 2.3.5 of the IHF Regulations for Competitions this meant the place went to the next highest ranked European team.

The three nations from Africa that did qualify, Egypt, Tunisia and Nigeria, celebrated their berths at Spain 2019 when their qualification event was held in September 2018. The Asian qualification tournament took place in July 2018 in Oman, with Korea, Japan and Bahrain earning their places at Spain 2019.

From Pan America, Argentina, Brazil and Chile finished as the top-ranked sides at their qualification event in April 2019. Rounding out the participants are Australia and the USA, who each qualified as winners of their respective IHF Trophy – Continental Phase competitions.

The draw for the 2019 Men’s Junior World Championship will be held in Pontevedra on May 21. The 24 teams are assigned into one of six rows, and tournament hosts Spain will have the right to select their preliminary group after the drawing of rows six up to three and one.