After five long years, The World Games is back for the first event since the 2017 edition in Wroclaw, Poland.

Beach handball is celebrating its sixth appearance at the global multi-sport event and the sole remaining team to have appeared at all six of them will be throwing off their 2017 title defence at 11:10 local time.

That team is Brazil and in their five previous appearances they have taken four medals: a bronze and the past three event golds.

However, they are not necessarily the favourites and the team to beat in Birmingham, Alabama. That team could be Croatia. Not only are they newly-crowned world champions, following the 2022 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship last month in Greece, but they have also medalled in four The World Games editions – all four they have appeared in.

In the last three, Brazil have stood in their way – in 2009 and 2013, beating them in the semi-finals and last time around, defeating them in the final.

What is the likelihood that they will face each other again in a crunch match in 2022?

Hoping to have a say will be just five other teams instead of the planned six after European champions and World Championship runners-up Denmark were unable to get to Alabama in time after their initial flights were cancelled in the ongoing European airline travel disruption. 

Croatia are in the depleted preliminary Group A where they will face Oceania champions New Zealand in their debut The World Games, plus Qatar, who qualified for Birmingham as a replacement for Asian champions Islamic Republic of Iran.

Qatar, who have appeared in the last two editions of The World Games, winning bronze in 2017 – like Brazil – are feeling vulnerable with their global standing in the game under threat. Iran produced a shock by beating them in the Asian Men’s Beach Handball Championship earlier this year, but Qatar could find some redemption in Alabama with a podium place after their continental rivals declined their participation.

Just two games will be played in Group A today, with New Zealand showcasing their famous haka first against Croatia in the morning and then against Qatar in afternoon. They lost 0-2 (14:30, 10:28) to the Asian side in Greece last month.

Brazil are in Group B alongside three World Games’ debutants – hosts USA, Argentina and Puerto Rico.

Both Puerto Rico and Argentina finished second in their continental championship earlier this year, which included losses to Birmingham rivals, the USA and Brazil, respectively.

If determination and focus won medals, then the host nation would be guaranteed a podium spot in Alabama.

They are fresh off of a 12th-place finish at Greece and while the final ranking could only equal their 2018 finish, it was not surprising with key and experienced players missing on the sand in Heraklion for various reasons.

With five changes made by coach Michael Hinson, those players are back in the squad and include Charlie White, who has recovered from injury plus the imposing, 2.02m Drew Donlin who missed the beach handball championships as he was busy with the US men’s indoor team who secured qualification for the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship at the same time Greece was running.

Also coming in to the team are the experienced Jacabo Garcia and goalkeeper Gabe Goodreau, who, along with White, won the North America and Caribbean Handball Confederation Men’s Beach Handball Championship, which took place in Acapulco, Mexico last April.

Today, the USA open their account with a morning match against Puerto Rico, who they also beat in Greece 2-0 (24:18, 20:14), before an afternoon match against Argentina, who defeated them 0-2 (20:23, 20:27) in Heraklion.

The other two matches today see a South American derby between Brazil and Argentina in the morning, with Brazil facing Puerto Rico in the afternoon.

Just 22 games comprise of the men’s competition in Alabama and by the end of today, 16 will be left. With thunder, lightning and temperatures of over 35 degrees experienced in other sports who started in Birmingham last week, it promises to be a special championship.

And it will be made even more special for those watching with Greece 2022 All-star Team member Lucian Bura in action for Croatia today. The best right wing was also named MVP and finished as top scorer, while Brazil’s Gil Pires, also in Birmingham, was named best pivot.