Two European teams and two African teams will face off in Group B of the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, with a clear favourite to extend their record unbeaten streak in the world handball flagship competition, the reigning champions, Denmark.

The Olympic champions will face Italy, Tunisia and Algeria, and are riding a 28-match unbeaten streak at the IHF Men’s World Championship, the largest-ever in history, dating back to 2017. In fact, Denmark have secured the last three world titles on the trot, in an unprecedented performance on the big stage.

However, the Scandinavian side has undergone a significant change, losing key players in the last months. Left back Mikkel Hansen, a three-time IHF Male Player of the Year, a three-time MVP at the IHF Men’s World Championship and a two-time top goal scorer at the world handball flagship competition, has retired from handball after the Olympic Games.

Goalkeeper Niklas Landin, himself the IHF Male Player of the Year and twice the All-Star Goalkeeper of the IHF Men’s World Championship, has also retired from international handball, leaving, alongside Hansen, two huge gaps for Denmark, which have scrambled to ensure continuation, with players like Emil Nielsen and Simon Pytlick, who have taken over more and more responsibility in the last years.

Nevertheless, Denmark will be heavily favoured against European minnows Italy, which they will face in a major international competition for the first time in history, as Italy have made it to the IHF Men’s World Championship only for the second time in history, after their debut in 1997.

They will also be clear favourites against Tunisia and Algeria, two sides which they hold positive head-to-head records in the previous meeting at the IHF Men’s World Championship and the Olympic Games.

Against Algeria, Denmark have won five of the six mutual matches, with the single loss coming in the preliminary round at the 1995 IHF Men’s World Championship, 24:25. The most recent clash between the two sides was played in 2011, when Denmark took a 26:19 win, in the preliminary round of the world handball flagship competition.

Against Tunisia, Denmark have also won four of the five matches played, with the only loss coming in the preliminary round at the 2005 IHF Men’s World Championship, when Tunisia finished fourth on their home court. Two of Denmark’s wins in their fantastic streak came against Tunisia, both in the preliminary round, 36:22 at Denmark/Germany 2019 and 34:21 at Poland/Sweden 2023.
Italy have never faced Denmark, Tunisia or Algeria so far in any competitive matches and will be the unknown quantity of the group, but are no pushovers, proving their mettle in the Qualification Europe on their way to Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025.

First, Italy beat Türkiye in the Qualification Europe Phase 1, with a stunning comeback, after a 28:37 loss in the first leg. Italy bounced back and set up a clash against Belgium in the Qualification Europe Phase 2 – Part 1, with a 37:27 win, taking a 65:64 aggregate win.

Then, Italy secured two wins against Belgium, for a 62:56 aggregate win, setting up a clash against Montenegro in the Qualification Europe Phase 2 – Part 2. Once again, Italy emerged victorious, with a 66:58 aggregate win, returning to the world handball flagship competition for the first time in 28 years.

Italy have not played so far against Tunisia or Algeria, as they will aim to secure at least a win to cement their candidacy for the main round, in what will prove to be a very tight battle for progression into the next phase of the competition.

Tunisia and Algeria are familiar faces, having played 28 mutual matches, three of them at the IHF Men’s World Championship. All three matches in the competition have been won by Tunisia, the most recent in the President’s Cup at Poland/Sweden 2023, when they took a 30:25 win against their African counterparts.

In total, Tunisia have 15 wins, Algeria have won two matches, while two other matches between the two sides finished in a deadlock. The two sides also faced off seven times in the final of the CAHB African Men’s Handball Championship, most recently in 2014, when Algeria took a 25:21 win.