The first round of the President's Cup at the 2026 IHF Women's Junior World Championship has elapsed, with seven teams reaching the maximum number of points, while the battle is still open for the top place in Group IV.

PRESIDENT'S CUP
Group I
Egypt v Paraguay 40:17 (19:6)
Angola v India 33:14 (13:5)

After conceding a painful loss against France, despite leading in the 40th minute, Egypt picked up where they left off and displayed a strong performance, taking a 40:17 win against Paraguay.

There was no question about the winner of the match, as Sarmada Mahmoud Deabes scored 10 goals, Sondos Essam Abouelazaiem added six goals and goalkeeper Sondos Essam Abouelazaiem saved 12 shots for a 48% saving efficiency, while her counterpart, Gihad Sayed, also had nine saves for a 69% saving efficiency.

It will be an all-African final of this group, after both Egypt and Angola won their first matches. Despite a slower first half, where they only had an eight-goal lead, 13:5, Angola pushed through and secured their second win of the competition, tying Egypt in the standings, after dominating India, 33:14.

Group II
Brazil v Türkiye 26:24 (14:11)
Argentina v Canada 30:9 (14:5)

Brazil and Argentina are now on four points in the President’s Cup Group II, after securing their second wins in as many matches. They will fight for the first place on Tuesday, with a place in the Placement Matches 17-20 on the line.

Brazil had the tougher match, against a plucky Türkiye side, which conceded their fourth loss in four matches, but the third one by three goals or less. The South American side led by as many as three goals in the 40th minute, only four a 4:0 unanswered run from Türkiye to turn the match on its head.

Nine goals from Ana Karolina Gonçalves Nunes helped Brazil turn the tide and secured their second win of the competition, 26:24, as Türkiye will surely lament their 22 turnovers, which did not help their cause.

Argentina also had little issue against Canada, taking a 10:2 lead after 15 minutes and never looking back. They limited Canada to five goals in the first half and four in the second half, to take their clearest win yet, 30:9.

Group III
Algeria v United States of America 30:26 (16:12)
Iceland v Guinea 31:20 (15:7)

One African side won while the other lost in Group III, where Algeria and Iceland are on four points each, before they meet in the final match of the round.

Algeria dominated the USA and led by as many as eight goals in the second half, but in the end had to settle for a four-goal win, 30:26, with Racha Yelles dominating the court with 12 goals.

Gudrún Hekla Traustadóttir scored 11 goals for Iceland, as they also never broke a sweat against Guinea, taking a 31:20 win and tying Algeria before their mutual match on Tuesday.

Group IV
Tunisia v Croatia 21:32 (10:14)
Faroe Islands v Chinese Taipei 30:23 (17:10)

The Faroe Islands made a big step towards the Placement Matches 17/20, taking another win, 30:23, against the Chinese Taipei, and they hold a two-point lead ahead of Croatia and Tunisia.

Croatia missed out on a place in the main round, after losing against Norway and the Faroe Islands, but bounced back with a win against Japan and continued their good form against Tunisia, which they dominated, 32:21.

Mirna Brusić, Josipa Zubac and Tara Đelekovčan combined for 19 goals in this match, scoring almost as many goals as Tunisia, to take a commanding 32:21 win, built on the depth of the squad.

In the other match of the group, the Faroe Islands started off well, but did not press as much in the second half, taking a 30:23 win against the Chinese Taipei, with Silja Eystberg scoring eighr goals.

There was no question about the winner, with the European side taking a seven-goal lead at the break, 17:10, and managing it carefully before their match against Tunisia, while Croatia face the Chinese Taipei.