The match schedule for the 20th anniversary edition of the IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships has been released.

The two global events will be played side-by-side at the 'Pingtan International Beach Sports Base' at Long Wangtou Ocean Park on Pingtan Island, People's Republic of China from 18 to 23 June 2024 and will feature a total of 144 matches.

And following the group draw last month the daily path to gold is known.

The Preliminary Group stage of China 2024 starts Tuesday 18 June at 1500hrs (local time) with all 32 teams playing a total of 16 games in the opening day session, taking place across the afternoon and evening.

The highlight of those very first games is, without doubt, the clash between the last two IHF Women’s Beach Handball Championship gold medallists – reigning title-holders and Greece 2022 champions, Germany and Russia 2018 champions Greece.

Other opening day highlights include the clash of the men’s debutants when host nation People’s Republic of China face African champions Tunisia on the central court at 1730hrs. This is likely to be a winner-takes-all clash in a Preliminary Group which also features Brazil and Spain – remember, only the top three move into the main round.

Greece 2022 men’s champions Croatia open their campaign against Portugal, while Germany return to men’s world championship action for the first time since 2006, when they line-up against Uruguay (1640).

Women’s debutants Puerto Rico and Philippines both face tough opposition in their opening games, with Puerto Rico facing multiple medallists Brazil (1500hrs) and Philippines taking on Portugal, who finished fourth at the European Championship last year. Host nation China take on Oceania champions Australia in their first game, on the central court at 1950hrs.

The action ramps up on day two on Wednesday with the entire preliminary group stage wrapped up with a total of 32 games across two sessions. The first, morning session sees games throwing-off from 0930-1200hrs, while the afternoon/evening session commences at 1500hrs, the last games getting underway at 2050hrs.

The Main Round begins on Thursday 20 June with 16 games taking place throughout the afternoon/evening (1630, 1720, 1810, 1900, 1950hrs) and continues through to Friday 21 June, with 32 games throughout a morning and afternoon/evening session (0930, 1020, 1110, 1200hrs and 1630, 1720, 1810, 1900, 1950hrs).

Saturday 22 June will see another 32 games, with the consolation round, quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place as well as the opening matches of the 5-16 placement rounds.

The final day of action – Sunday 23 June – features 16 games in total with the 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15/16 placement matches concluding in the morning session and the medal matches taking place in the afternoon and evening session, starting with bronze matches at 1630 (women) and 1730 (men), followed by the gold medal finals at 1830 (women) and 1930 (men).

All games will be streamed live on the IHF Competitions YouTube chancel (geo-restrictions will apply).

2024 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships – Match Schedule

All times local, Competition Management has the right to change the order, the court and the time of the matches.

PRELIMINARY GROUPS

Tuesday 18 June 2024

Men’s Competition

1500 ARG vs PUR, CRO vs POR

1550 DEN vs AUS, HUN vs OMA

1640 BRA vs ESP, QAT vs USA, GER vs URU

1730 CHN vs TUN

Women’s Competition

1500 GER vs GRE, BRA vs PUR

1550 NED vs DEN, NOR vs USA

1640 POR vs PHI

1950 CHN vs AUS, ESP vs VIE

2040 ARG vs CRO

Wednesday 19 June 2024

Men’s Competition

0930 USA vs GER, URU vs QAT, PUR vs CRO, POR vs ARG

1110 OMA vs DEN

1200 ESP vs CHN, TUN vs BRA, AUS vs HUN

1500 GER vs QAT, URU vs USA

1550 CRO vs ARG, POR vs PUR

1820 HUN vs DEN, OMA vs AUS

2000 BRA vs CHN, ESP vs TUN

Women’s Competition

1020 DEN vs NOR, USA vs NED, PUR vs GER, GRE vs BRA

1110 PHI vs CHN, AUS vs POR

1200 CRO vs ESP, VIE vs ARG

1640 GER vs BRA, GRE vs PUR

1730 NED vs NOR, DEN vs USA

1910 POR vs CHN, PHI vs AUS

2050 ESP vs ARG, VIE vs CRO

Thursday 20 June 2024

Men’s and Women’s Competitions

Main Round: 1630, 1720, 1810, 1900 and 1950

Friday 21 June 2024

Men’s and Women’s Competitions

Main Round: 0930, 1020, 1110, 1200, 1630, 1720, 1810, 1900 and 1950

Saturday 22 June

Men’s Competition

1020, 1650, 1830 Consolation round, 5-16 placement round matches

1200 Quarter-Finals

1920, 2010 Semi-Finals

Women’s Competition

0930, 1600, 1740 Consolation round, 5-16 placement round matches

1110 Quarter-Finals

1740, 1830 Semi-Finals

Sunday 23 June

Men’s Competition

0930 7/8, 11/12, 13/14 15/16 Placement Matches

1020 9/10 Placement Match

1110 5/6 Placement Match

1730 Bronze/3/4 Placement Match

1930 Gold/Final Match

Women’s Competition

1020 7/8, 13/14 15/16 Placement Matches

1110 9/10, 11/12 Placement Matches

1200 5/6 Placement Match

1630 Bronze/3/4 Placement Match

1830 Gold/Final Match