The Netherlands have qualified for the 14th time at the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, but their ascension displayed at the senior team has also rubbed off at the younger age categories, where the Dutch side has been more and more consistent in the past decade.

This is the sixth consecutive edition of the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship where the Netherlands are qualified and they also finished in the top 10 in the past four editions in a row, including a fifth place in 2018 at the best-ever performance in the competition, the bronze medal in 2022.

This time around, the Dutch side are also aiming high, with the coach responsible for development, and the assistant coach of the senior team, Ricardo Clarijs, returning with big ambitions for this edition of the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship.

This generation has finished fourth at the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship, but made a step back at the W19 EHF EURO 2023, where they finished ninth, alternating good matches with some difficult moments, which barred them for fighting for medals.

Nevertheless, the Netherlands have a good core on their hands, mostly hailing from their revered HandbalAcademie, with goalkeeper Bianca Schanssema and centre back Jalisha Loy, who both featured at the 2022 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship and have tons of experience. Loy has also made it back after a painful knee injury.

Line player Romee Maarschalkerweerd, hailed as the next big thing for the Netherlands on that position, is also in the provisional squad, therefore the Dutch team might definitely be a contender for another medal in this competition.

Key players: Bianca Schanssema (goalkeeper), Jalisha Loy (centre back), Romee Maarschalkerweerd (line player)
Qualification: W19 EHF EURO 2023: 9th
History in the competition: 1977: 9th, 1979: 7th, 1981: 9th, 1983: 11th, 1985: 13th, 1995: 10th, 1999: 13th, 2001: 18th, 2010: 6th, 2012: 17th, 2014: 8th, 2016: 9th, 2018: 5th, 2022: Bronze medal 
Group at North Macedonia 2024: Group A (Romania, Netherlands, Brazil, Islamic Republic of Iran)