When Mexico’s men throw-off their 2025 IHF Men’s Youth Beach Handball World Championship campaign they will be making handball history for their nation.

Their match against hosts Tunisia at 1730 (local time) on Tuesday 17 June will be the first time a men’s side from the nation has played in an IHF Beach Handball World Championship and just the fourth team from the nation to play at any men’s world championship, following two youth, seven-a-side ‘indoor’ championship and the concurrent 2025 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship taking place in Poland.

Coach Alejandro Chavez Valencia will be happy about the preliminary group draw for his – facing fellow debutants Tunisia and Cook Islands, plus Thailand, appearing for just the second time in the event.

“We were drawn into a very competitive group, with high-level opponents who will push us to the limit,” said Valencia to ihf.info ahead of the event. 

“We respect all the teams and are preparing to give our best. Our goal in Tunisia 2025 is to compete intensely, represent Mexico with pride, and continue consolidating this youth project with great potential.”

Valencia’s 13-man provisional squad features more than half of the players from Colima Handball Club, with the coach highlighting one of the eight players from the club – Abner Raygoza Macias – as one of his key players.

“He’s fast, confident and consistent in scoring,” adds Valencia. “A game-changer on the counter-attack.”

Mexico were nominated to participate at Tunisia 2025 by the North America and the Caribbean Handball Confederation (NACHC) to take one of their continental allocation spots.

Coach: Alejandro Chavez Valencia
Key player: Abner Raygoza Macias (Left Wing)
Qualification information: NACHC Nomination
History in tournament: 2017-2022: DNQ
Group at Tunisia 2025: Group C – Tunisia (TUN), Thailand (THA), Mexico (MEX), Cook Islands (COK)