For the first time in the history of the North American and Caribbean Men's Handball Championship, the competition steps out of Mexico City and onto US soil. Bettendorf, Iowa, is the setting for the fifth edition of the tournament, with matches being played at the TBK Bank Sports Complex from 12 to 16 May 2026.

The winner of the competition will claim the confederation’s direct berth at the 2027 IHF Men's World Championship in Germany, making every match in the round-robin group stage a potential deciding moment in each team's qualification journey.

Four teams will contest the championship in a full round-robin format, with the top two sides advancing to the final, which will determine the champion and the World Championship qualifier. Canada, Greenland, Mexico and the United States of America will each face the other three opponents once, meaning consistency across the group stage will be essential.

The four previous editions of the competition have produced three different champions. Greenland took the inaugural title in Mexico City in 2014, before Cuba claimed the crown in 2018. USA broke through to win in 2022, defeating Greenland 33:26 in the final, only for Cuba to reclaim the title in 2024 with a dominant 36:21 win over Mexico. With Cuba absent from this edition, the door is wide open for one of the four remaining nations to write a new chapter in the competition's short but intense history.

The hosts, the United States, arrive as one of the title favourites, buoyed by home advantage and the memory of their 2022 triumph, as well as the prospect of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games on the horizon. 

Mexico have been one the most consistent presence in the competition, reaching the final in 2024, while Canada, the fifth placed team in 2024, will be aiming to improve and finish on the podium for the second time since their silver medal in 2018. Greenland, who remain the competition's inaugural champions and have featured on the podium three times in four editions, including the bronze medal won in 2024, will be no less determined.

The first match throws off on 12 May, with Greenland facing Canada, before Mexico and the United States renew their rivalry later in the evening. After the preliminary round will be complete on 14 May, a rest day will follow, with the two finals scheduled for 16 May.