The IHF Nations Trophy will enter a new chapter in September, when the competition makes its debut at senior women's level with tournaments taking place across South America, Africa and Oceania.

Designed to provide meaningful international competition and create clearer pathways towards established continental championships, the first senior editions will give national teams the opportunity to compete for silverware while taking another step towards the next level of the international game.

South America: a place in the continental championship at stake

The Women's IHF Nations Trophy South American Zone will be played in Lima, Peru, from 2 to 6 September 2026, bringing together Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela.

The tournament carries an important additional incentive, with the top two teams earning their tickets for the the South and Central American Women’s Handball Championship.

The preliminary round – contested in a round robin format – which saw the teams divided into two groups of three each will be followed by the semi-finals, with the competition concluding on 6 September at the National and Panamerican Sports Village (VIDENA).

In Group A, Ecuador, Chile and Venezuela will fight for the two places which progress to the semi-finals, while Uruguay, Bolivia and hosts Peru were drawn in Group B.

Africa: a new pathway

Africa will have two editions of the IHF Nations Trophy in September, reflecting the continent's six-zone structure and bringing the new senior competition to different parts of the region.

In Zone III, seven teams will meet in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 2 to 6 September 2026. The line-up includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo.

The tournament will be staged at the Palais des Sports de Ouaga 2000, which has a capacity of 4,598 spectators. The preliminary phase will be followed by the semi-finals and final on 6 September.

Hosts Burkina Faso will be in Group A, alongside Nigeria and Ghana, while in Group B, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Togo and Liberia will battle for the top two places, which secure semi-finals tickets.

A second African tournament will follow in Zone VI, with Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe set to compete in Lusaka, Zambia, from 15 to 19 September 2026.

The two competitions provide another opportunity to strengthen women's handball across the continent by giving national teams dedicated international competition within their respective zones. 

Within the wider African Nations Trophy structure, the winner of each zone will earn a place at the CAHB African Women's Championship, creating a direct sporting link between the new IHF competition and the established continental level.

Oceania: a chance to impress

The Women's IHF Nations Trophy Oceania will take place in Wellington, New Zealand, from 10 to 14 September, with Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Caledonia, New Zealand and Tahiti competing for the title.

The tournament will also serve as the Oceania Continental Championship, with all national federations in the region invited to participate. The winner will then receive IHF support to compete at the Asian Women's Championship, providing an important international pathway for Oceanian teams, which can qualify for the IHF World Championship through the Asian continental structure.

Matches will be played at the Ākau Tangi Sports Centre, which has a capacity of 2,000 spectators. The semi-finals are scheduled for 13 September, followed by the bronze-medal match and final on 14 September.

The seven participating teams have been divided into two groups, of three and four teams respectively. New Zealand, New Caledonia, Cook Islands and Kiribati will play in Group A, while in Group B, Australia, Tahiti and Fiji battle for the top two places, which help teams advance to the semi-finals.

For the winner, Wellington can be the first step towards competing against the strongest teams in Asia and pursuing the next stage of the international pathway. The regulations confirm that the winner earns the right to participate in the Asian Women's Championship.

A new senior chapter

With tournaments in Lima, Ouagadougou, Lusaka and Wellington, the IHF Nations Trophy will make its first move into the senior women's game in September.

Tournaments in Guatemala (Central America Zone - 29 September – 3 October) and Madagascar (Africa - Zone VII - 30 September – 4 October) will follow, adding to the path of the teams towards their continental competitions.