Smashing their historic-best ranking of 13th, France’s fifth place at the 2025 EHF Men’s European Beach Handball in Alanya, Turkiye in July 2025 secured them a spot at their debut world championship.

Their epic 17:16 shoot-out win over Portugal in the 5/6 placement match (2-1, 14:21, 15:14, SO 17:16) was the ideal end to a memorable tournament, with captain Alexis Gilme telling ffhandball: “It is truly the fruit of an immense collective effort and I also count the absentees, who have worked on this season and sometimes on those that preceded it. There is no doubt that this collective will continue to move forward in the months and years to come.”

But that final game for them came after an impressive continental campaign which saw them defeat continental powerhouses Spain (2-1), Hungary (2-1) and Norway (2-0) before losing via shoot-out to Croatia in the quarter-finals. However, their fighting spirit shone through and they won their remaining two games, including that 5/6 placement against 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship bronze medallists Portugal.

To prepare for Croatia 2026, where they will play Croatia, Oman and Australia, France have been participating on their home beach tour, starting in Vesseaux.

“We found here what we came looking for: competition and excellent preparation conditions,” said coach Paul Mourioux. "We were able to work collectively, to establish our game plan, but we also saw some weaknesses that will require us to work hard in June so we can go to Zagreb full of confidence and energy."

Before departing for Zagreb, France will spend three days (June 19 to 21) at a training camp at the Maison du Handball in Creteil, France.

“Entering the competition against nations we're not used to facing will force us to quickly implement our game plan and focus on what we do best in order to qualify for the main round,” added the coach about their opening games in Zagreb.

“We're capable of making all the top teams doubt themselves, provided we respect them and are able to play at our best from the start of the tournament. We've been dreaming of this world championship for 10 years and we're going to seize the opportunity, starting with this magnificent clash against Croatia.

“The history of handball is full of duels, and we've sometimes learned from them on the sand. It's a huge opportunity to face the Croatians. I have a lot of respect for their journey. They have fantastic players who cause problems for all opponents and it's up to us to rise to the occasion.”

Coach: Paul Mourioux

Key Players: Alexis Gilme, Baptiste Dubois, Benjamin Gallego, Axel Deschamps

Qualification information: 2025 EHF European Beach Handball Championship – 5th

History in Tournament: 2004-2024: DNQ

Group at Croatia 2026: Group D: Croatia, France, Oman, Australia