Debutants Portugal ready for Chengdu challenge

A sixth-place finish at the 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship in China last year sealed Portugal’s place at The World Games Chengdu 2025, their debut at the global, multi-sport event.

In China, they will face Croatia, Argentina and the hosts in their preliminary group – with all three teams they face familiar to them, having played them all 12 months ago in that world championship.

Last year in Pingtan they beat China 2-0, in the preliminary group, and then defeated Croatia via shoot-out (2-1, 16:10, 12:20, SO 6:2) in the main round, where they lost to Argentina 2-0 (25:20, 22:18).

“This is the first time we will have participated in The World Games, so it is always extra motivation,” said 37-year-old Portugal head coach Agustin Collado Rodriguez on the eve of competition in China.

“We have already experienced the European Olympic Games, which have a similar format, now it is time to face this competition with our batteries fully-charged. We are excited about this new competition, which is a great opportunity to continue growing.”

Spaniard Rodriguez hails from Granada and is also coach of club side AM Team Almeria and has chosen a squad of 10 captained by defensive specialist – and doctor in her day job – Helena Corro.

“Portugal is proud to participate in this prestigious competition,” said the player, who has been with the team since they finished fourth at the 2023 EHF Women’s European Beach Handball Championship. 

“We work hard and aspire to be among the best beach handball teams in the world, so participating in The World Games is another step toward achieving that goal. It is also an opportunity for Portugal to contribute to the promotion and recognition of the sport, so that one day beach handball can be included in the Olympic Games.”

Portugal ended their preparation for The World Games with participation on the second stage of the 2025 IHF Beach Handball Global Tour in Laredo, Spain at the end of June, where they finished third. 

A disappointing competition saw them win twice – both against the USA, but narrowly lose to both Poland and Spain via shoot-out. Ahead of the stage, they finished 10th at the 2025 EHF Women’s European Beach Handball Championship in Turkiye.

“The Portuguese Handball Federation began participating internationally in beach handball events in 2014,” explained Mario Bernardes, National Beach Handball Co-ordinator for the federation.

“Currently, Portugal has more than 2,500 federated athletes in the sport and around 200 teams. In the last two years, we have always been present in both European and World Championships - in both genders - and this year we are participating for the first time in The World Games.

“Portugal has been working hard on recruitment, starting with the under-14s, who already compete regularly. This year, 118 teams competed for the national title in our national championships in various age groups. The focus continues to be on training, which is the basis for the success achieved in recent years."

Coach: Agustin Collado Rodriguez
Key player: Helena Corro (Defender)
Qualification information: 6th – 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship
History in tournament: 2001-2022: DNQ
Group at The World Games Chengdu 2025: Group B – Croatia, Portugal, Argentina, People’s Republic of China