Another edition of the Masters Handball World Cup, a traditional tournament held on the Adriatic Coast in Omis, Croatia, took place between 20 and 24 May with hundreds of players featuring on the court, representing 19 countries.

Since 2017, teams from all over the world took part in the competition, with European sides facing teams from other continents, this edition seeing teams from Egypt, Brazil, Argentina and Chile playing in different categories.

The Masters Handball World Cup 2025 was divided into ten categories, featuring six men’s competitions (35+ 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+ and 60+) and four women’s competitions (35+, 40+, 45/50+ and 50+). 62 teams took part in this edition of the competition.

In the men’s 35+ competition, Romanian side Golden Boys Merasport secured the gold medal, with a win in the final against Madinet Masr, a team with Egyptian players.

In the men’s 40+ competition, another Romanian side, Bucovina, who boasts several former Romanian national team players in the squad, secured the gold medal, clinching a 14:10 win over Lithuanian side Šmarskai.

The title for the men’s 45+ category was secured by Brazilian side CESP Ceres, who won the preliminary round, secured a 14:13 win over Polish side Chobry Glogow in the semi-finals and took a 19:18 win in the final against Lithuanian side Kauno Ažuolas.

In the men’s 50+ category, Budapest Old Boys avenged their loss against Brazolian side Brazukas Hand in the preliminary round and eventually took a 10:9 win over their rivals in the final, clinching the gold medal.

Four teams – one from Romania, one from Hungary and one from Argentina and Chile took part in the men’s 55+ category and the winners were crowned after a hard-fought final, where Hungarian side Budapest Old Boys took a 9:7 win over the Romanian side, Alpha RO.

Finally, in the men’s 60+ category, Cerhand Maringa, a team from Brazil, sealed the title, after a 10:7 win over Hungarian side MAFC Masters in the final.

In the women’s competitions, the 30+ category was won by Ukrainian team Liberty Kharkiv, which took a hard-fought 8:6 win over Jelenia Gora Masters, after the Polish side led 6:5 with seven minutes to go in the match.

In the 40+ category, Czech side Slavia Praha took a 16:12 win over Kauno Ažuolas, while the 45/50+ category was won by another Czech side, HBH Morava, which took a 10:7 win against Norwegian team Slitu.

The women’s 50+ category was won by Finnish club Dicken Goldies 50+, with a 14:9 win over Romanian side Csikszereda.

Men – 35+ Category
1. Golden Boys Merasport (ROU)
2. Madinet Masr (EGY)
3. Aspire (EGY)
4. Croatia Young Boys (CRO)
5. Celtic Legends (IRE)

Men – 40+ Category

1. Bucovina (ROU)
2. Šmarskai (LTU)
3. Masters Kielce (POL)
4. Pochet (TUR)
5. Budapest Young Boys (HUN)
6. Madinet Masr (EGY)
7. Hutnik Krakow (POL)
8. Celtic Legends (IRE)
9. Handball Heroes (HUN)
10. Amriswil (SUI)

Men – 45+ Category

1. CESP Ceres (BRA)
2. Kauno Ažuolas (LTU)
3. Chobry Glogow (POL)
4. Brno (CZE)
5. Bor Wroclaw (POL)
6. SHTH Slovakia (SVK)
7. MAFC Masters (HUN)
8. Dzik Warszawa (POL)
9. Bisckei (HUN)

Men – 50+ Category

1. Budapest Old Boys (HUN)
2. Brazukas Hand (BRA)
3. Rohdiamanten Bozen (ITA)
4. Masters Opole (POL)
5. PEAC PTKE Old Boys (HUN)

Men – 55+ Category

1. Budapest Old Boys (HUN)
2. Alpha RO (ROU)
3. BMS (CHI)
4. Malon Argentina (ARG)

Men – 60+ Category

1. Cerhand Maringa (BRA)
2. MAFC Masters (HUN)
3. Roma Handball (ITA)
4. Alpha RO (ROU)

Women – 30+ Category

1. Liberty Kharkiv (UKR)
2. Jelenia Gora Masters (POL)
3. Carpathian Flames (ROU)
4. Celtic Legends (IRE)
5. CA de Leca (POR)

Women – 40+ Category

1. Slavia Praha (CZE)
2. Kauno Ažuolas (LTU)
3. No Limits (POL)
4. Oeiras Handball (POR)
5. ZKA Bratislava (SVK)
6. Csikszereda (ROU)
7. Evregreens (SVK)
8. BUD-HA (HUN)
9. Bucovina (ROU)

Women – 45/50+ Category

1. HBH Morava (CZE)
2. Slitu (NOR)
3. HM Ostrava (CZE)
4. Pink Magic (HUN)
5. Mario-Nett Veszprem (HUN)
6. ETO XXL (HUN)
7. Dicken Goldies 45 (FIN)
8. Dicken Goldies 50 (FIN)
9. FitMoms (HUN)
10. Csikszereda (ROU)
11. Nagycenki Lenak (HUN)

Women – 50+ Category
1. Dicken Goldies 50 (FIN)
2. Csikszereda (ROU)

Photo credit: Masters Handball World Cup