The 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship throws off on Wednesday, 26 November, in Stuttgart and Trier, with four matches.

Co-hosts Germany are starting their campaign against Iceland, while Serbia take on Uruguay in the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, while in Trier, Spain face Paraguay and Montenegro clash with one of the three debutants in this edition, the Faroe Islands.

Group C
18:00 CET Germany vs Iceland

Co-hosts Germany, at their 25th appearance at the IHF Women's World Championship, will face a fellow European side – but a much less experienced at this level - in the opening match in Stuttgart.

While Germany are seen as favourites, it was actually Iceland who had the upper hand in their only previous meeting at the World Championship, 26:20 at Brazil 2011. But since then, the German team has won all three competitive matches against Iceland, most recently 30:19 at the EHF EURO 2024.

Germany finished eighth, seventh and sixth in their three last World Championship, and they hope to make another step forward this time. Coached by Markus Gaugisch, they enjoyed a good preparation for the tournament, notably defeating Switzerland twice in recent friendly matches, 35:17 and 35:32.

For Iceland, it will be just the third World Championship in history, after they ranked 12th in 2011 and 25th in 2023. However, three of their players — Andrea Jacobsen, Díana Dögg Magnúsdóttir, Elín Rósa Magnúsdóttir — represent the German team HSG Blomberg-Lippe, and the Icelanders hope for their experience in the upcoming game.

20:30 CET Serbia vs Uruguay

Since earning silver at the home tournament in 2013, Serbia have not missed a single edition of the IHF Women's Word Championship, and now they will feature at the competition for the seventh straight time. 

Two years ago at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023, they finished 21st, and they finished in the same position at the EHF EURO 2024, but now they hope to do a better job.

Serbia's primary goal is to reach the main round, and they will make a big step towards it with a win over Uruguay. The European side are viewed as clear favourites against the South American opponents whom they have never faced before.

Uruguay, who return to the World Championship following a 14-year break, will play in the tournament for the sixth time in history. The 20th place at Brazil 2011 is their best result, and while the South American side finished third at the 2024 South and Central American Women's Handball Championship, they are expected to be underdogs against the European rivals in Group C.

GROUP D
18:00 CET Spain vs Paraguay 

2019 silver medallists Spain open up proceedings at the SWT Arena in Trier against Paraguay in group C looking to reverse a trio of some of their historically worst rankings – in the previous world championship (13th), Olympic Games (12th) and European championship (13th).

Coach Ambros Martin, who was in charge for all these competitions, brings a refreshed squad complete with a number of world championship debutants, led by captain Alicia Fernandez who will face a Paraguay side who became the 31st side to qualify for the event after booking their ticket by winning the SCAHC (South and Central America Handball Confederation) ‘Last Chance’ qualification tournament last April.

Paraguay’s head coach Marizza Faria has been involved in five previous qualifications for the South American side as a player in 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2021 and as a coach in 2023, facing Spain twice and losing both at Germany 2017 (32:15) and at Serbia 2023 (29:9).

20:30 CET Montenegro vs Faroe Islands

Whatever happens in Trier, the town will forever be in the hearts of the Faroese as it marks their debut as senior world handball championship team. Over 200 fans have made the trip to Germany with the team looking to improve on their 32:26 European Championship qualification loss against the Montenegrins in October after being level at the break (14:14).

At the other end of the scale, Montenegro with more than ten times the population of their opponents, have qualified for the 19th major competition since their independence in 2006 and approach the championship with a mix of experience and new blood.

Coached by former player Suzana Lazovic, they will be hoping her playing days in the golden age of Montenegrin women’s handball in the early 2010s, which saw her win silver at the London 2012 Olympic Games and 2012 European championship gold with the country and double EHF Champions League titles (2012, 2015) with club side Buducnost, will rub off on the players a decade later.