Defending champions Croatia will look to win a third, consecutive title after taking gold at Greece 2022 and last time out, at China 2024. This equalled the run of the legendary Brazil (2010, 2012, 2014) which was stopped by Croatia. In fact, the host nation have appeared on the podium in the last six editions (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024).

However, last year was a mixed year for the Croatian beach handball history-makers, who sit second in the all-time world championship medal chart on seven medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) behind Brazil (8).

2025 did start with a medal – bronze at the EHF EURO after losing to Germany in the semi-final and beating Hungary in the 3/4 placement match – a welcome return to the podium after their joint second-lowest ever ranking in 2023 (7th), but they then failed to defend their The World Games title, ending in fifth place in China, beating Denmark 10:8 via shoot-out in the 5/6 placement match.

Soon after, they ended in fourth spot on the 2025 IHF Beach Handball Global Tour: Finals in Brazil after losing to Argentina via shoot-out.

This year has already seen a medal, as the side won Stage 1 of the 2026 Beach Handball Global Tour which was held at the same venue as the upcoming world championship, beating Poland, Portugal and Serbia in the preliminary round and Portugal, again, in the final 7:4 via shoot-out.

Paradzik will be well-aware that Croatia 2026 could be one of the last world championships for his golden generation of Croatian players, with 39-year-old captain Ivan Juric remaining a key player alongside Ivan Dumencic (35) – MVP at China 2024 – and Valentino Valentakovic (33).

However, with their youth team winning the 2022 IHF Men’s Youth Beach Handball World Championship, the Croatian conveyor belt of talent is in full operation with some of those youngsters likely to feature in the senior side this month.

And with the passionate home fans behind them at Lake Jarun, a podium-topping performance on home sand will be in the back of all Croatian minds and, as hosts, their choice of preliminary D, with opponents France, Oman and Australia, should not provide too much difficulty in passing through to the main stage.

Oman and Croatia have met a number of times in world championship history, including a 2-0 quarter-final win for the European side in the first-ever world championship back in 2004, with Croatia also taking a 2-0 consolation round win in 2010 and 2-1 preliminary group win 10 years ago, at Hungary 2016.

“There a lot of good quality, top-level teams present in this competition,” said Paradzik to ihf.info.
 
“We played against France at the European Championships in Turkey last year and they have become a strong team in the last four or five years. Oman have a different style of the playing, but we haven’t played against them recently. And for Australia, in the 2016 world championship we lost one set against them so if you go easy against them, you will not win that game.

“We hope to transfer the maximum number of points from the preliminary round, and considering we are ‘attacking’ another gold medal, we are also expecting to go through to quarter-finals and then even further to another medal,” he added. 

“We are really looking forward to have our fans supporting us. This is the first time Croatia is hosting the world championship and we can’t wait to have the support from our fans.”

Coach: Mladen Paradzik
Key Players: Ivan Dumencic, Valentino Valentakovic, Ivan Juric
Qualification information: Title-holders
History in Tournament: 2004: 4th, 2006: 7th, 2008: 1st, 2010: 7th, 2012: 3rd, 2014: 2nd, 2016: 1st, 2018: 2nd, 2022: 1st, 2024: 1st

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