Paraguay punch ticket for the 2025 IHF Women's World Championship

Paraguay became the 31st team to qualify for the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, securing two wins in two matches in the second round of the qualification in the South and Central American Conferederation, which took place between 24 and 26 April in Palmira, Colombia.

Three teams were at the start of the competition, with hosts Colombia being joined by Paraguay and Peru, with Paraguay being the favourites, as the only team to have taken part at the 2024 South and Central American Women’s Handball Championship, as well as the only team to have previously qualified for the world handball flagship competition.

In the first match of the competition, Colombia made the first step towards a maiden qualification, with a clear 41:20 win over Peru, putting the pressure on Paraguay, which played in the last two days.

But with a 49:14 win over Peru in the second day, Paraguay made their intentions clear, as they rcorded a larger win than Colombia, meaning that in the last day, they would have two chances to win the competition: a win or a draw.

After Alexandra Velázquez scored 13 goals for Marizza Faria’s side in the match against Peru, everything was hinging on the second match, where Paraguay were facing Colombia, the hosts, which had a huge ambition to qualify for the first time in history for the IHF Women’s World Championship.

After 30 minutes, Paraguay had a 12:8 lead, and Colombia tried their best, but eventually conceded a 20:25 loss, seeing their dreams broken, as Paraguay won the second round of the qualification in the South and Central American Conferederation and, subsequently, punched their ticket for the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship.

Paraguay will play for the sixth time at the IHF Women’s World Championship, as they finished 23rd in 2007, 21st in 2013 and 2017 and 29th in 2021 and 2023.

Three teams from the South and Central American Conferederation had already qualified for the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship. Brazil, the continental champions, Argentina and Uruguay have already secured their tickets, with Uruguay returning for the first time in the world handball flagship competition since 2011.

Photo credit: COSCABAL / John Fredy Turmeque