The final standings, as well as the number of points to be taken into the main round will be decided in Groups C and D in Stuttgart and Trier in Germany, while Netherlands, Austria, France and Poland can secure their places in the next phase in s'Hertogenbosch and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, as the fifth day of competition at the 2025 IHF Women's World Championship is scheduled for Sunday.

Group C
15:30 CET Iceland vs Uruguay

It will be a crucial game for both sides, who have never faced each other before in a competitive match. Neither Iceland nor Uruguay managed to grab any points in their two previous matches, and now only one of the two rivals will progress to the main round. As Iceland have a much better goal difference, -8 compared to Uruguay's -35, even a draw will be enough for the European team, while Uruguay must win to advance.  

Iceland will be heavily favoured to win this do-or-die encounter. They were close to taking their first points on Friday against Serbia, but a late surge fuelled by Hafdís Renötudóttir’s saves was not enough to draw level, as the Icelanders lost in a dramatic fight, 26:27.  

In turn, Uruguay suffered a heavy defeat against Germany, 12:38, as none of their players managed to score more than two goals. It will be hard for the South Americans to open their account on Sunday, but they hope to challenge their Icelandic rivals.  

18:00 CET Germany vs Serbia

After two matches, both teams have the maximum four points and are already through to the main round. However, their encounter will determine the group winner, and each of the rivals is motivated to earn a victory and carry four points into the next stage.  

Over the last 17 years, the teams have met seven times, with Germany winning five of them, Serbia one, and one match ending in a draw. Their most recent competitive duel took place at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, where the Germans claimed a 31:21 win in the main round.  

On Friday, Germany defeated Uruguay by as many as 26 goals, but coach Markus Gaugisch expects a much tougher challenge this time. “It will be a very difficult match. But it’s just as important that we approach it correctly and win in the end,” he said.  

Serbia’s Friday win over Iceland was nerve-racking, as the Balkan side led by seven goals early in the second half and nearly squandered the advantage. However, they ultimately claimed two points and will now try to upset Germany, who are seen as favourites.  

Group D
15:30 CET Faroe Islands vs Paraguay

“We'll see how well we'll sleep, but it's an important game against Paraguay,” said Faroe Islands captain Pernille Brandenborg after her side made history with a 27:25 defeat of 2019 silver medallists Spain in just their second-ever world championship game. “We want to continue to play really good handball and try to fight for two more points, that will be our focus next and then we'll see about the main round at that point.”

And this game is key; with Spain, Paraguay and the Faroes all fighting for the final main round qualification place, behind the already-qualified Montenegro – and the Paraguayans looking to defeat their European opponents for the coveted second round.

“This is our most important match,” said Paraguay’s Ariana Portillo Mieres. “We want to pass through to the main round and we need to focus and prepare a lot for it.”

18:00 CET Montenegro vs Spain

While the Montenegrins are safely in the next round of the event, they know it is likely a win against Spain will see them carry another crucial two points through to the next round.

Ambros Martin has not yet seen the full potential of his new, young Spanish side with eight world championship debutants in it and knows that two points from this clash could pave the way to improving the ranking of 13th at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023, the second-lowest in their history after 15th place gained on their debut in 1993.

In competition, the team have beaten each other four times and drawn once in nine meeting. Two of these games were world championship ones, Spain taking a 23:19 win in the Round of 16 at Brazil 2011, and another, at Japan 2019, in the preliminary round (27:26).

Group E
18:00 CET Austria vs Argentina

Austria have the chance to become the first team in Group E to secure a main round spot. Their opening 29:20 win against Egypt came with a dose of early nerves, and Egypt even led in the first half. But once Austria settled, they closed the match with authority. Now, they face Argentina, the 2024 South and Central America Championship runners-up, who are coming off a 25:32 defeat to co-hosts Netherlands after putting up a brave fight in front of a sold-out Ahoy Arena.  

The South American side may not be the favourites against European teams, but they are far from an easy opponent. They are well-balanced and experienced, with their best individual performer, left back Elke Karsten, who scored eight goals against the Dutch. However, Argentina will need to reduce their attacking errors and show far more patience in possession — those mistakes can become fatal quickly.  

Coach Monique Tijsterman also sees good defensive reactions as Austria’s main advantage: “It will be crucial that our defence functions well so that we can launch counter-attacks. In attack, we need to play with great focus and identify any gaps.”  

As Austria are missing Katarina Pandža, her sister Ana stepped into the role with confidence, scoring four goals and adding six assists. Klara Schlegel and Eleonora Stanković led the charge in attack. This will also be the second meeting between these two sides, with Argentina having claimed a 30:29 win in the 2021 edition.  

20:30 CET Egypt vs Netherlands

The Netherlands will once again enjoy the full force of a sold-out Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam as they chase a second win and an early ticket to the main round. Their opening 32:25 victory over Argentina came with plenty of nerves — the kind you expect when a team plays at home in an era where two legends are preparing for their farewell.  

The tension showed early, but the Dutch eventually rose above it and took full control, with 12 players finding the net. Now comes another non-European challenge: Egypt, a team who experienced a tough start to their debut World Championship, falling to Austria.  

The gap in experience and squad depth is obvious, but Egypt will certainly give everything to stay competitive for as long as possible against one of the co-hosts in what will be the first matchup between the two nations. Left back Touka Gadallah led Egypt in attack, yet the key will be cutting down their turnovers — 20 in the first match were far too many to hope for a tighter contest.  

Group F
15:30 CET – Poland vs Tunisia

Poland opened their World Championship campaign with authority. Their 36:20 win over China showcased high efficiency and a complete team performance, with all 16 players contributing and Magda Balsam leading the way with nine goals. With the main round in sight, they now face Tunisia, a team whose start to the tournament could not have been more different.  

Tunisia returned to the World Championship after four years, only to open against reigning champions France. They kept pace for about fifteen minutes before the gap became insurmountable, ultimately falling 18:43 in a one-sided game.  

Poland enter this match with confidence and a clear goal: victory. A win seals their main round spot and gives them at least two valuable points to carry forward, regardless of whether China or Tunisia join them as the third team from the group.  

Polish player Daria Michalak summed up that mindset: “The Tunisians are physically stronger than the Chinese and have a good back-court line, so we'll have to focus on more aspects. (…) We'll be fighting like crazy because we have to win this match, and we won't even consider any other option. We heard the loud cheering of the Polish fans on Friday, so I’m hoping to hear them again.”  

The last time Poland and Tunisia met at the World Championship was in 2007, when the Polish players grabbed a 29:23 win.  

18:00 CET People’s Republic of China vs France

France began their title defence with a commanding 43:18 win over Tunisia and now face, on paper, another easier assignment as they continue to build momentum. Standing in their way is a young Chinese team who, despite a 20:36 defeat to Poland, showed far more than the final score suggests.  

Their distinct playing style has a tendency to trouble opponents, especially European sides unfamiliar with their rhythm. So even though China — which reached the 2025 IHF Women's World Championship through a wild card — are mainly gathering valuable experience, they can still showcase their strong one-on-one game under French head coach Yérime Sylla.  

Against Poland, it was the right side that carried them, with Zihan Shi and Chan Liu contributing the most. Still, this will be a major test, as France boast one of the best defences in the competition.  

This will be the fourth official match between France and China, and the second encounter at the World Championship — their previous meeting in 2001 ended with a 29:18 French win.