The third day of the 2025 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship can provide teams with new main round berths, with several high-profile clashes on the horizon, such as the ones between hosts Poland and Slovenia, as well as the Asian battle between Japan and the Republic of Korea, with eight matches scheduled in Plock and Sosnowiec.

GROUP A
16:15 Uruguay vs Norway
18:30 Poland vs Slovenia

GROUP B
11:45 Brazil vs Austria
14:30 Hungary vs Argentina

GROUP C
16:15 United States of America vs Sweden
18:30 Japan vs Reublic of Korea

GROUP D
11:45 Canada vs Portugal
14:00 Croatia vs Algeria

• Six teams have already secured their main round berths after Day 2 of Poland 2025, with Germany, Romania, France, Denmark, Spain and Egypt progressing to the next phase of the competition
• Poland can also secure safe passage with a win against Slovenia, while Austria and Hungary also qualify if they beat Brazil and Argentina
• Croatia and Portugal, in Group D, will qualify if they take wins against Algeria and Canada respectively
• The top three scorers of the competition are, so far, Faroe Islands’ Oli Mittun (26 goals), Romania’s Daniel Stanciuc (24 goals) and Iceland’s Elmar Erlingsson (21 goals)

Group A
18:30 CEST – Poland vs Slovenia

Poland kicked off their home campaign in style with a dominant 39:16 win over Uruguay. After racing to a 10:1 lead, the outcome was never in doubt. The difference in experience was clear, with Uruguay playing in only their second-ever IHF Men’s Junior World Championship.

Still, the hosts are well aware that their first opponent posed limited resistance, and they are prepared for a much tougher test. Another two points would send Poland directly into the main round.

“Slovenia proved they can rise from difficult situations and fight back, despite a big deficit. In the match against Norway, they fought until the end and secured a valuable draw. This shows that at the championships, no one gives up, even when trailing by a wide margin,” said Poland's head coach Bartosz Jurecki.

Slovenia indeed had to dig deep to claim a dramatic 33:33 draw against Norway. After falling behind early, they steadily worked their way back into the game. Aljuš Anžič and Lucijan Korošec led the comeback, while Mark Šalamon delivered key saves when it mattered most.

A win or even a draw would keep Slovenia in the hunt for a main round spot, but facing Poland in front of a passionate home crowd in Płock will be a significant challenge. Interestingly, despite both teams appearing at five previous editions, this will be their first-ever meeting at the IHF Men’s Junior World Championship.

Group B
11:45 CEST – Brazil vs Austria

Austria returned to the IHF Men’s Junior World Championship after a 28-year absence with an impressive 29:23 victory over Argentina. Their dominant second-half performance was anchored by standout goalkeeper Leon Theodor Bergmann, who made 16 saves at a 43% success rate.

However, the Austrians know they must improve their opening minutes and maintain greater focus in tougher matches ahead. They now face Brazil with a chance to secure a main round berth with a game to spare.

“Against Argentina, we made quite a few poor decisions and missed some shots. We came out better in the second half, defended more tightly, were more dominant, and were then able to score easy goals on the counterattack. The win was good, but we need to improve for the upcoming games,” said Austria’s head coach Michael Draca.

Brazil, on the other hand, find themselves in a must-win situation. After falling 24:29 to Hungary in their opener, there’s no more room for mistakes. Despite a strong start, defensive lapses and second-half struggles cost them the game. Still, as 2024 South and Central American Men’s Junior Championship runners-up, Brazil showed good rotation — 12 out of 14 outfield players found the net.

This will be the first-ever meeting between Brazil and Austria at the IHF Men’s Junior World Championship.

Group C
18:30 CEST – Japan vs Republic of Korea

One of Friday’s most anticipated clashes features a classic rivalry between two of Asia’s top junior teams — Japan and Republic of  Korea. These sides faced each other twice in July 2024 at the Asian Men’s Junior Handball Championship, with Japan winning both encounters.

Japan first defeated Republic of  Korea 36:28 in the group stage, then again in the final, securing the title with a 32:27 victory. In that final, Haruto Nagamori starred with 12 goals, leading his team to continental gold. Now, runners-up Korea hope to reverse their fortunes in this crucial group-stage encounter.

Known for their blistering pace, both teams thrive on fast transitions and counterattacks, promising a high-tempo battle where every turnover could prove costly. Japan head into this match after a commanding 41:33 win over the United States. Fourteen players scored, including goalkeeper Ryo Komoda, while Koshiro Hori and Kippei Furukawa led the attack with variety and confidence.

Korea, meanwhile, struggled to keep pace with Sweden in their opening game. Despite moments of resistance and standout efforts from Jinhyeok Moon, they eventually fell 42:31, with second-half errors proving decisive.