In just two days the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship gets underway in Germany and the Netherlands with all 32 teams concluding their final preparations ahead of the global event.

Co-hosts Germany concluded their warm-up with two victories against neighbours Switzerland, winning away in St Gallen 35:17 (13:12) and then 35:32 (19:14) in a much closer test at home in Göppingen. The second game was played in front of 3,254 spectators in the EWS Arena, just 40km from where they will start their world championship campaign at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart against Iceland.

Fellow co-hosting nation Netherlands also ended their preparation campaign with a friendly victory at home, Henrik Signell’s side defeating South and Central American champions Brazil 36:26 in Wognum. Both Larissa Nusser and Merel Freriks scored their 200th goals for the national side in the victory, ahead of which it was announced that both Estavana Polman and Lois Abbingh would retire from national team duties following the conclusion of the global event.

Reigning champions France won the ‘Tournoi de France’ by beating Asian champions Japan 36:22 (19:8) at the Stade de Flandres in Dunkirk in front of over 2,000 spectators and extending their long unbeaten friendly match run.

The three-team tournament was held over three days in France and also featured African champions Angola. The opening day saw the hosts grab their first win, against Angola, 26:22 (13:14), while Japan took a win against the African side on the second day, 29:28 (15:12).

France head coach Sébastien Gardillou is expected to announce the final roster for the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship gold medallists on Monday (24 November) and he will be pleased with the performance of his team featuring a number of new faces, led by experienced captain Tamara Horacek.

Kazakhstan completed their preparations by winning silver at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games with Iceland beating close rivals the Faroe Islands 28:25 in their last match before heading to Germany. 

Montenegro lost (25:22) a behind-closed-door friendly against Slovenia while Argentina ended their own preparations with a training camp in Rotterdam, including a friendly match against a Dutch first division team. Republic of Korea beat Tunisia twice in a double-header held in Hammamet, Tunisia, the Asian runners-up winning both games, 30:27 and 33:28.

Austria, Czechia and Romania were all in action in the traditional ‘Carpathian Trophy’. Joining the three world championship-bound teams in Bistrița, Romania, were Portugal, who missed out on Germany/Netherlands 2025 qualification after losing their qualification tie against Montenegro in April.

At the TeraPlast Arena  the hosts were in fine form winning all three of their games – against Portugal (40:28), Czechia (37:30) and Austria (37:28) to take the title. Sorina-Maria Grozav and goalkeeper Bianca Tomina Curment were in excellent form for Romania, Grozav scoring 11 against the Czech side to add to her previous 15 goals while Curment ended that final game with a 58% save ratio.

Czechia and Austria had opened the tournament with a 29:29 draw, with Portugal then taking a 33:19 win over Austria and 41:29 win over Czechia to finish second. 

2023 silver medallists Norway won their world championship preparation tournament, by beating Spain, Hungary and Serbia at home in the Posten Cup played in the Sotra Arena near Bergen from 20-23 November.

New Norway coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad and his side meant business, scoring an incredible 41 times against Spain to take their opening day win (41:19) before defeating Hungary (33:27) in an emotional match which saw the recently-retired Camilla Herrem receive a tribute presentation in recognition of her 332 games for her country and the legendary Katrine Lunde announce her own retirement from the national team, at the end of Germany/Netherlands 2025 – after an incredible 23 years playing.

Norway sealed their title with a win on Sunday (23 November) against Serbia (38:19) in front of 3,000 spectators, Malin Aune recording her 200th goal for Norway in a match which captain Henny Reistad returned for and Nora Mørk was rested.

In the other games, Hungary beat Serbia (29:25) and Spain (37:28), with Spain seeing off Serbia (29:27) for their solitary win, Jovana Skrobic ending as the tournament top-scorer, on 19 goals in her three games.

Neighbours Sweden and Denmark ended their preparations with a double-header. In their 132nd meeting, 2023 world championship bronze medallists Denmark won 35:23 (18:14) on home ground in Næstved. Sweden’s Nathalie Hagman became the third Swedish women’s player to reach 250 senior caps, behind Jamina Roberts and Åsa Mogensen.

The return game was played at the Halmstad Arena in Sweden in front of 3,626 spectator with the Danes taking their second win in a much-tighter game, 36:36 (19:12), Denmark’s Julie Scaglione top-scoring in the game with seven goals.

African silver medallists Senegal impressed in the ‘Croatia Cup’ held in Poreč, defeating the hosts 29:27 and being held to a 27:27 draw by Poland. With their 27:22 win over the home side in the final game, Arne Senstad’s Poland took the title on goal difference ahead of Yacine Messaudi’s Senegal. 

HC Podravka goalkeeper Petra Marinović dropped out of the initial squad of 19 for Croatia due to injury with head coach Ivica Obrvan now taking two shot-stoppers to Germany/Netherlands 2025 instead.

Photo credit: Kolektiff / Croatian Handball Federation