Debutants Denmark looking to podium place

After finally qualifying for their first-ever The World Games appearance – at Birmingham 2022 – Denmark women were left disappointed at the last hurdle after their flights were cancelled from Copenhagen to Birmingham, USA at the last minute and they did not have enough time to rearrange their journey in time for the start.

They had no choice but to withdraw, but now, in 2025, they get that chance again and hope to make history.

They come to Chengdu with the knowledge that they can perform in China – their fourth-place finish at the 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship last year in Pingtan evidence of this.

On the Chinese sand 12 months ago they handed Chengdu 2025 group opponents Germany a rare defeat, seeing off the double world champions 2-0 in the main round, before losing to them in the semi-final, but it was a big shock at the time as Germany appeared unbeatable.

This time around, coach Morten Holmen has named five debutants on the team, a big change from the squad which finished fifth at the recent European Championships and which included another defeat of current world champions Germany (2-1 in the preliminary round).

Alongside Germany, the Danes will also face Asian champions Vietnam and newly-crowned European champions Spain in their Chengdu 2025 preliminary group. 

“It's a very tough group,” said 53-year-old Denmark coach Holmen ahead of the event. “The European champions and the world champions speak for the quality in our group. But we see it as an exciting challenge, and we are ready to take up the fight.”

Holmen knows Danish beach handball extremely well, having been head coach of the women’s team since 2009 having overseen more than 250 international matches and participation in over 25 international championships. 2025 marks his 20th-anniversary of being involved with the sport.

With a deep selection to choose from, helped by the popular, annual Danish Beach Handball Tour, Holmen is putting faith in the five new names - Freja Gandrup Ernst from Aarhus Handball, Freja Hauge Hansen from Haervejen, Freja Solling Fager from Roskilde Handball and Alberte Toppel and Sofie Hjerno Jorgensen from Naesby IF – to blend well with the extremely experienced Ditte Folden Win and Frederikke Laerke Seeliger amongst others.

Coach: Morten Holmen
Key players: Ditte Folden Win (Goalkeeper), Frederikke Laerke Seeliger (Defender)
Qualification information: 4th – 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship
History in tournament: 2001-2017: DNQ, 2022: Withdrew 
Group at The World Games Chengdu 2025: Group A: Vietnam, Spain, Germany, Denmark