After 72 matches in the 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship, defending champions Croatia retained their title, defeating Denmark in the final 2-0.

Portugal beat Germany for bronze, with the 5-16 placement matches concluding on the final day of action in China.

Eight teams were also confirmed for their return to China, for The World Games 2025 in Chengdu.

Final: Denmark vs Croatia 1-2 (18:23, 23:18, SO 6:9)

Like the German women in the preceding match, Croatia secured back-to-back world championship titles and, in the process, secured their fourth world title overall as they focus in on Brazil’s record haul of five.

Right from the very start of the opening set Croatia were in charge – Ivan Juric taking charge from the throw-off and then Nikola Finek opening up their account in attack. This was followed inside the first two minutes of the first of what would be eight first set saves from the Croatian goalkeeping pair of Filip Hancic and Stipe Malenicic.

A five-point lead (23:18) ended the set, but, as expected, Denmark came back in the second and that ended with exactly the same score, this time in favour of the Danes, 23:18.

And so, a shoot-out followed. Immense pressure was palpable on both sides in the humid conditions but Lucian Bura calmed the nerves of the Croatians, opening up the scoring (2:0). Next up was Joachim Trend Hansen for Denmark but he saw his shot saved by Hancic.

This was the chance the Croatians craved and they did not look back, scoring their next four shots, ending with a single point from Ivan Dumencic to seal the title yet again for the Croatians, who also took home the Fair Play award.

The victory marked the continuation of a remarkable run of form for Croatia which has seen them lose just two games from Hungary 2016 onwards out of 37, gaining three world titles (Hungary 2016 – 10 games/1 loss, Kazan 2018 – 9/1, Greece 9/0, China 9/0).

The win today was their ninth win at China 2024 in a competition where they dropped just three sets (against the USA, Hungary and Denmark). This followed nine wins at Greece 2022 where they dropped just two sets. At Russia 2018, when the lost the final to Brazil, they recorded eight wins, while at Hungary 2016, when they beat Brazil in the final, they lost just once (against Brazil in the main round), but won nine. 

Bronze Medal Match: GER vs POR 0-2 (24:25, 18:20)

In just their second-ever world championship, Portugal came up with a scintillating display to dispatch Germany 2-0 with both sets going to late time outs from either side a Germany played catch-up.

The Portuguese relied on Ruben Ribeiro (20 points) and Diogo Ferreira (17) to see them through to bronze as their attack could not be stemmed by the German defence.

At the end of the first set, Portugal could rest easy, in possession at 25:24 ahead and taking a time out with five seconds left after Matthew Wollin had brought it within one following a Diogo Ferreira single-point for safety, while with 14 seconds left at the end of the second set and 18:20 down, Germany, in possession this time, made their plans for an attack to take it to a Golden Goal, but the unfortunate Tim Krauth was blown for an attacking foul and Portugal could start celebrating.

5-16 Placement Matches

In a strange quirk of fate, Spain ended up with yet another fifth-place ranking, beating Brazil 2-1 (27:26, 18:20, SO 10:8) in their 5/6 placement match. This is now their sixth, fifth-place finish, while for the South Americans it is their second lowest ranking since they debuted in 2004 and finished ninth. It is the first time in eight editions since then that the South Americans have not medalled.

Argentina, riding high on a wave, had already confirmed their highest-ever ranking in their 7/8 placement match against Hungary, but they could not hold back the power of Norbert Gyene, whose 18 points helped the European champions to a 2-1 (22:16, 18:21, SO 8:6) victory – to equal their lowest-ever world championship ranking, which they picked up back in 2008. 

Uruguay, complete with China 2024 men’s top-scorer Santy Rodriguez, in their ranks overcame Asian champions Qatar via shoot-out 2-1 (22:23, 18:16, SO 9:8) to claim ninth, despite the impressive Amir Denguir Nowraddine scoring 25 points for Qatar.

Debutants Tunisia and China ended their China 2024 campaign as they started – by playing each other. Tunisia won again, this time more clearly than their opening day 2-1 victory, Achraf Margheli’s 15 points helping his to a 2-0 (15:14, 26:20) victory.

Alexander Browne’s 25 points guided the USA to a 2-0 (25:20, 25:20) win over Australia to finish 13th, while Oman recorded their lowest-ever ranking of 15th (previous lowest of 12th, 2014) with a 2-0 (26:10, 25:16) win over Puerto Rico, who ended their China 2024 campaign without a win

Results 
Final/Gold Medal Match: DEN vs CRO: 0-2 (18:23, 23:18, SO 6:9)15/16 Placement Match: OMA vs PUR 2-0 (26:10, 25:16)

3/4 Placement/Bronze Medal Match: GER vs POR 0-2 (24:25, 18:20)

15/16 Placement Match: OMA vs PUR 2-0 (26:10, 25:16)
13/14 Placement Match: USA vs AUS 2-0 (25:20, 25:20) 
11/12 Placement Match: CHN vs TUN 0-2 (14:15, 20:26)
9/10 Placement Match: URU vs QAT 2-1 (22:23, 18:16, SO 9:8)
7/8 Placement Match: ARG vs HUN 1-2 (16:22, 21:18, SO 6:8)
5/6 Placement Match: ESP vs BRA 2-1 (27:26, 18:20, SO 10:8)

Final Ranking
1 Croatia (CRO)*
2 Denmark (DEN)*
3 Portugal (POR)*
4 Germany (GER)*
5 Spain (ESP)
6 Brazil (BRA)*
7 Hungary (HUN)
8 Argentina (ARG)
9 Uruguay (URU)
10 Qatar (QAT)*
11 Tunisia (TUN)*
12 People’s Republic of China (CHN)**
13 United States of America (USA)
14 Australia (AUS)
15 Oman (OMA)
16 Puerto Rico (PUR)

*Qualified for The World Games 2025
**Qualified for The World Game 2025 as host nation