Five-time, record world champions (2006, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018), three-time The World Games champions (2009, 2013, 2017) and current ANOC World Beach Games (2019), IHF Beach Handball Global Tour (2025) and continental champions (2026), Brazil certainly have experience of standing on the podium and come with great expectations to Croatia 2026.

However, those titles and medals do not hide the fact that they recorded their second worst ranking of all-time at China 2024, when they finished sixth, their worst ranking since their tournament debut in 2004 (9th).

But despite that disappointment, captain Renan Pinheiro is not looking for any excuses.

“Brazil’s expectation is always to be champion; that is our goal in any competition,” he said to ihf.info. “In recent years, we’ve lost by the narrowest of margins on several occasions, but I see that as part of a process that strengthens the team. 

“We’ll come together for training before the world championship to refine those details and I believe we have a very strong team and will be fighting for the top spot.”

Brazil, along with Croatia, are the only team to have competed in all 10 previous editions of the IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship and have shared the titles with the European side but, like the Croatians too, are now rejuvenating their team – bringing in new world championship faces Aldrin Andrade, Pedro Maia and Pedro Santana who are helping to fill a long list of absent and retired players including Gil Pires, Thiago Jordan, Joao Paullo, Matheus Victor, Luiz Guilherme, Rai Santos and Gustavo Morais.

Coming back once more though are coach Antonio Guerra Peixe and key player Bruno Carlos de Oliveira, who have a combined age of well over 100 years.

Who knows whether it could be the last world championship for 40-year-old de Oliveira, only he will know but for any fans of sport, seeing him cast his spells on court is a sight to behold – and ‘The Professor’, coach Peixe is showing no signs of slowing down either.

Bruno and his side have been drawn against The World Games champions Germany, plus Argentina and debutants Italy in their Croatia 2026 preliminary group.

Germany beat Brazil in the semi-final of The World Games last year, despite the South Americans beating them in the preliminary stage, while Italy are an unknown entity and Argentina are regular opponents in their continental competitions.

The Brazilians lost to them at the 2026 SCAHC South and Central America Beach Handball Championships preliminary group stage 0-2 (22:24, 18:19) but gained revenge in the gold medal match, 2-0 (17:14, 17:12) to win the competition in which Pinheiro was named best left in the All-star Team, and ended up as top-scorer.

“My expectations for Croatia 2026 are enormous with the country having a proven track record of hosting excellent international competitions. It is also the current champion and winners of the last two world championships (and is the overwhelming favourite to win the title,” said coach Peixe. “I hope for a great competition where we can enjoy all of Croatia’s beauty.”

“Brazil recently won key stages of the IHF Beach Handball Global Tour, including the final held in Brazil, beating traditional powerhouses,” added Erick Marques from the Brazilian Handball Confederation.

“Our expectation at Croatia 2026 for the men is to compete directly for a medal. Brazil has been maintaining consistent international performance and the effort to revitalise the teams has worked well, blending youth with experienced athletes.”

Coach: Antonio Guerra Peixe

Key Players: Bruno Carlos de Oliveira, Renan Pinheiro

Qualification information: 2026 SCAHC South and Central America Beach Handball Championships – 1st

History in Tournament: 2004: 9th, 2006: 1st, 2008: 2nd, 2010: 1st, 2012: 1st, 2014: 1st, 2016: 2nd, 2018: 1st, 2022: 3rd, 2024: 6th

Group at Croatia 2026: Group C: Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Italy