30 games will be played on the third day of the 2026 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships in Zagreb as both the main round and consolation round get underway at Lake Jarun.

With temperatures this week in the Croatian capital in the mid-high 30s, Thursday (25 June) is set to be a day of hot action on the sand in the morning/early afternoon session (1000-1300) and evening session (1800-2100).

France hope to continue making history as all-time historic clash lights up Jarun Lake

Main round group I features Spain, who brought four points with them into the second stage, Hungary (4 points), Denmark (3), Portugal (3), Islamic Republic of Iran (0) and Tunisia (0).

With African champions Tunisia and Asian runners-up Iran likely need to win all three of their games to move into the quarter-finals, it is set to be a battle between the four European powerhouses about who finishes in which ranking position for the, on paper at least, best quarter-final draw.

The opening trio of matches see Spain and Tunisia repeat their China 2024 preliminary group clash, which saw the European side win 2-0 (22:20, 22:20) in a close match on Pingtan Island, the same stage and nation they played in at The World Games last year when Spain won again.

Hungary take on Portugal in a replay of the 2025 EHF EURO quarter-final last year won by the Hungarians 2-1 (16:17, 26:14, SO 7:6), while Iran face Denmark in a replay of their Greece 2022 preliminary group game, won easily by the Danes, 2-0 (23:10, 20:12). 

The evening session in the group sees Iran play Hungary, Denmark and Spain renew rivalries – Spain winning the EURO quarter-final shoot-out last year 10:8, and Portugal playing Tunisia, a repeat of The World Games 2025 quarter-final from China, won by Portugal 

Main round group II is a diverse group featuring a number of record-holders and champions, spanning three continents. Topping the group with points carried through are hosts and title-holders Croatia (4), The World Games champions Germany (4), Brazil (2), debutants France (2), Argentina (0) and Asian champions Oman (0).

The morning session features the all-time classic match between Croatia and Brazil, between them, the two sides holding an incredible 15 world championship medals, including nine golds – from the last nine championships stretching back to 2006. The last time the two teams met was at the 2025 IHF Beach Handball Global Tour: Finals in Brazil in November 2025, Brazil winning 2-0, the same score by which the South Americans won at The World Games 2025 in China.

Germany take on Oman, while Argentina face France for the first time in competitive action to complete the morning session, with the evening session featuring Brazil playing Oman, Argentina taking on Croatia and France playing Germany.

“It's so crazy because we are in the biggest competition in the world of beach handball, but we're focusing on the competition, and we want to play to win,” said France captain Alexis Gilme. “We have two points in the main round and we're going to play Germany, Brazil and Argentina – and it will be our first time against both Brazil and Argentina – we are excited to play against the big teams.”

The consolation round features a rematch of the SCAHC championship final from April when the United States of America beat Puerto Rico 2-0 (18:16, 17:16) in the final. Italy and Australia will also play in the early session, with the USA taking on debutants Italy and Puerto Rico playing Oceania champions Australia in the evening session.

Going into the main and consolation round stage Martin Andersen of Denmark leads the scoring with 63 points, following by Norbert Gyene, Hungary (52) and Diogo Ferreira, Portugal (50).

Brazil and Germany dominant as Philippines and Puerto Rico look for more history

Spain (4 points), Germany (4), Netherlands (2), Croatia (2), Uruguay (0) and Puerto Rico (0) make up main round group I with the four European side in pole position to move through to the quarter-finals – although Uruguay will be looking to cause an upset by taking down Croatia in their opening game.

“We treat all teams as equal and we don't care who the other team is,” said Uruguay’s Romina Boschiero Mari. “What is important for us is to play how we know we can play. We just want to play our game how we're playing and we want to win. It’s simple: just win.”

Title-holders Germany get the second stage of their title defence – and hopes of making it three golds in a row – against second-timers Puerto Rico, who have now bettered their debut ranking of 15th. The two sides met in the preliminary group of China 2024 with Germany showing their dominance, winning 2-0 (30:12, 22:6).

“We really want to keep playing like how we played against Croatia in the preliminary group stage,” said Puerto Rico captain Yadielis Barros about their 2-0 loss to the host nation, which saw the first set just edged by the home side, 17:16.

“We want to play with these kind of teams in the main round. We’re super-excited about it.”

China 2024 bronze medallists Netherlands take on EHF EURO 2025 champions Spain, missing key player Asun Batista with injury ahead of the tournament. The two teams played each other twice at the continental event last year, Netherlands winning 2-0 (20:16, 27:22) in the main round Spain reversing the result in the semi-final 2-0 (21:18, 22:20).

The evening games see Netherlands play Puerto Rico; Croatia play Germany and Uruguay take on Spain.

Main round group II is headed by the impressive three-time world champions Brazil (4), ANOC World Beach Games title-holders Denmark (4), The World Games 2025 champions and 2024 world championship silver medallists Argentina (2), 2018 world champions Greece (2), 2010 world champions Norway (0) and Asian silver medallists Philippines (0).

Brazil face Philippines in the morning session and neighbours and rivals Argentina in the evening session – the classic South American derby which has seen Brazil prevail in at the 2025 Beach Handball Global Tour: Finals last year and in their SCACH qualification event on home sand in February in the group stage, before Argentina reversed the result in the final.

Greece will face Denmark and Philippines, with the Danes defeating the Greek side at the same stage at China 2024, 2-0 (23:18, 25:16). Norway take on Argentina – also missing key player Fiorella Corimberto due to injury pre-tournament – and Denmark in their two games.

“We want six points,” said Greece’s assistant coach Sofia Dimitriou about their expectations from the main round. “We will go step-by-step, match-by-match, game-by-game, and then we will see the results.”

In the consolation round there are just two games due to Benin’s withdrawal from the competition (both the USA and Cook Islands have been handed 2-0 (10:0, 10:0) forfeited wins against the African champions). Asian champions Vietnam will have to pick themselves up against the Cook Islands in their morning clash, returning to the sand in the evening to play the USA, who they beat at the same stage at China 2024, 2-0 (25:22, 29:26).

Brazil’s Beatriz Correia (56 points) led the women’s top-scoring charts going into the third day of action, with Anna Buter (45) from the Netherlands in second spot and Vietnam’s Ngoc Trinh Lu, in third (41).

All games from Croatia 2026 will be streamed live and free (no login required) on the IHF Competitions YouTube channel (geo-restrictions will apply) click HERE for more information.

2026 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships: Match schedule

Thursday 25 June 2026

MAIN ROUND (MR), CONSOLATION ROUND (CR)

Men’s Competition
1000 MR1: ESP v TUN, HUN v POR, IRI v DEN, CR: USA v PUR
1200 MR2: GER v OMA, CRO v BRA, ARG v FRA, CR: ITA v AUS
1800 CR: USA v ITA, PUR v AUS
1900 MR1: POR v TUN, DEN v ESP, IRI v HUN
2000 MR2: BRA v OMA, FRA v GER
2100 MR2: ARG v CRO

Women’s Competition
1100 MR1: GER v PUR, ESP v NED, URU v CRO, CR: VIE v COK
1300 MR2: BRA v PHI, DEN v GRE, NOR v ARG, CR: USA v BEN*
1800 CR: VIE v USA, COK v BEN**
1900 MR1: NED v PUR
2000 MR1: CRO v GER, URU v ESP, MR2: GRE v PHI
2100 MR2: ARG v BRA, NOR v DEN

All times local (CEST). Competition Management has the right to change the order, the court and the time of the matches.

*Game forfeited 2-0 (10:0, 10:0) to USA due to Benin withdrawing from the competition
**Game forfeited 2-0 (10:0, 10:0) to Cook Islands due to Benin withdrawing from the competition