In the last four editions of the IHF Women’s World Championship, France have reached the final three times, winning the title at Germany 2017 and Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023 and conceding the gold medal match against Norway at Spain 2021.

Therefore, the European side is one of the most consistent teams over the last two decades at the highest level, finishing on the podium six times in the last 11 editions, with three gold medals and three silver medals in that span, plus three top-7 finishes.

As the title holders, France will always have a target on their backs, with the other powerhouses aiming to dethrone them, but this is an easier said than done challenge, with France always seeming to get their players to perform at the highest level and fire from all cylinders during major international competitions.

However, there is a feeling that France might be vulnerable, with a plethora of changes overseen over the last 16 months, since they played the final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where they had little to no chance against Norway.

Coach Olivier Krumbholz, the most decorated coach in the history of French handball, has stepped down, as per his announcement prior to the Olympic Games and the successor was his former assistant, Sebastian Gardillou, once tasked with the rejuvenation of the attack of the France national team back in 2022, after France were dominated in the final of the 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship by Norway.

Gardillou oversaw that tweaking of the attack, but taking over after Krumbholz was never going to be an easy feature, as underlined by the team’s performance at the EHF EURO 2024, when France finished for the second time in a row on the fourth place, conceding a loss against Denmark in the semi-finals and another loss against Hungary in the bronze medal match.

The coach had another year at his disposal to tweak the system, but will find himself ina a conundrum, having some crucial players out for the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship. The team’s captain, Estelle Nze Minko, has announced her pregnancy this autumn, taking a break from handball.

Right back Laura Flippes is also pregnant, while one of France’s top scorers over the last years, left wing Chloe Valentini, gave birth in September and will also be absent from the competition, which will see new blood fused into the team. But, as always, transitions can be difficult and it is still a work in progress for Gardillou.

However, France are undefeated in 2025, winning all their six friendly matches – two each against the co-hosts of the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, Germany and the Netherlands and, more recently against Romania (32:27 and 30:24). France have also won comfortably the EHF EURO 2026 Qualifiers matches against Kosovo (43:12) and Finland (32:15) back in October.

New players, such as the MVP of the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, Lylou Borg, or junior world champions Enola Borg and Nina Dury, have made their debuts in the national team, and could make the final roster, as France are slowly entering a transition period.

But they cannot be counted out for a medal challenge, as their defence quality and experience, with players like Pauletta Foppa, Grace Zaadi, Tamara Horacek or goalkeepers Laura Glauser and Hatadou Sako always being capable of deciding a match.

In Group F, France will be favoured against Poland, Tunisia and the People’s Republic of China, winning by double digits against the European side over the last years. But the real test could be the match against the Netherlands in the main round in Rotterdam, which could test Gardillou’s side to the limit.

Key players: Pauletta Foppa (line player), Grace Zaadi (centre back), Tamara Horacek (left back), Hatadou Sako (goalkeeper)

Coach: Sebastian Gardillou

Qualification for Germany/Netherlands 2025: Title holders

History in tournament: 1986: 15h, 1990: 14th, 1997: 10th, 1999: 2nd, 2001: 5th, 2003: Winners, 2005: 12th, 2007: 5th, 2009: 2nd, 2011: 2nd, 2013: 6th, 2015: 7th, 2017: Winners, 2019: 13th, 2021: 2nd, 2023: Winners

Group at Germany/Netherlands 2025: Group F (France, Poland, Tunisia, People’s Republic of China)