2025 IHF Men's World Championship schedule revealed

07 Aug. 2024

2025 IHF Men's World Championship schedule revealed

While the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are in full fledge, the preparations for the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship are also on the last straight, with the world handball flagship competition being scheduled between 14 January and 2 February 2025.

After the draw for the preliminary round took place in Zagreb, Croatia, took place on 29 May, and the 32 teams learnt their preliminary round opponents and the path to the title, the preliminary round fixtures including throw-off times have been finally confirmed, offering a glimpse into how the tournament will unfold.

This is the first edition of the world handball flagship competition which takes places in three countries, with five venues - Baerum, Oslo in Norway, Herning in Denmark, plus Zagreb, Varaždin and Poreč in Croatia.

The first day of the competition has four matches scheduled on 14 January, two in Herning and two in Poreč, with the reigning champions, Denmark, playing on their home court against Algeria, while Italy, returning after nearly three decades in the competition, face Tunisia. In Poreč, powerhouse France meet Qatar, in a rematch of the final of the 2015 IHF Men’s World Championship, while Austria are due to meet Kuwait in the second match. Co-hosts Norway make their debut a day later in Baerum, Oslo, when they meet Brazil.



Action-packed days at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025

The 48 matches of the preliminary round will end Monday, 20 January, after a full week of games determining the 24 teams that will advance to the main round. All 32 teams will play three games in the preliminary round before the top three nations in each of the eight groups proceed to the four-group main round, due to start on Tuesday, 21 January.

The two top-ranked teams of each main round group qualify for the quarter-finals, scheduled for 28 and 29 January. The teams that do not reach the main round will compete in the President’s Cup, which begins on 21 January in Poreč.

The quarter-finals will take place on Tuesday, 28 January, in Zagreb, and on Wednesday, 29 January, in Baerum, Oslo. The two semi-finals will follow on 30 January, in Zagreb, and on 31 January in Baerum, Oslo, with the bronze medal match and the final due to be played in Norway’s capital on 2 February.