For the first time in the history of the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, the final day of the competition was officiated exclusively by referees from outside Europe, underlining both the global reach of the sport and the growing diversity at the highest level of officiating.

On Sunday, 5 July, in Jinzhong, the two medal matches and the placement games were handled by referee pairs from Asia, Africa and South and Central America. Officials from Kuwait, Uruguay, Egypt and Brazil took charge of the seventh-place game, fifth-place match, bronze-medal match and final.

The seventh-place game between Norway and Japan was officiated by Maali Alenezi and Dalal Al Naseem from Kuwait, one of three all-female referee pairs entrusted with matches on the final day. German Araujo and Nicolas Perdomo from Uruguay oversaw the fifth-place match between Montenegro and Serbia.

In the bronze-medal match, France and Spain were refereed by another female duo, Yasmina and Heidy Elsaied from Egypt. The final between Germany and Denmark was then placed in the hands of Renata Correa and Bruna Correa from Brazil, marking the third women’s pair to officiate on the decisive day of the competition.

The strong presence of female referees at this stage highlights a continued positive trend in international handball. Notably, the final of the 2022 edition was also officiated by an all-female pair, Argentina’s Maria Ines Paolantoni and Mariana García, underlining the sustained trust placed in women referees at the highest level.

The all-non-European referee line-up follows a pattern seen at the 2025 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in Egypt, where the final matches were also officiated exclusively by referees from outside Europe.

Per Morten Sødal, Chairman of the IHF Playing Rules and Referees Commission, emphasised that these appointments reflect both quality and long-term development:

“Our goal is always to appoint the best referees for the matches. At the same time, we want to continue developing high-quality referees from outside Europe, so that they are not only present, but fully trusted to officiate the decisive matches in major competitions like this one.”

The appointments in Jinzhong represent a significant milestone, combining global representation with increased visibility for female referees, and reinforcing the IHF’s commitment to excellence and inclusivity in officiating at the highest level of the sport.