Key highlights of the day: Egypt 2021 finally throws off

13 Jan. 2021

Key highlights of the day: Egypt 2021 finally throws off

The wait is finally over: Egypt 2021 throws off today, with the hosts taking on South American side Chile.

With 108 matches and 32 teams ready to compete for the trophy, the 27th IHF Men’s World Championship is the biggest handball event in history and you will find everything you need, including previews and reviews of every game, exclusive features and breaking news on ihf.info.

This will be the second World Championship held in Egypt, after a 22-year wait and the 'Pharaohs' are eyeing nothing but a win in the opening game against Chile. It will be the second consecutive World Championship which features Chile as the hosts’ opponents in the first game of the tournament, after the South American side faced Denmark two years ago. 

It will not be a walk in the park for Egypt, though, as Chile are also poised for their best-ever result at the IHF Men’s World Championship, with a heralded coach and a roster brimming with experience and exuberance. 

32 teams are ready to fight for the gold medal at Egypt 2021, a competition which will be streamed throughout all the continents by a plethora of broadcasters

Plenty of teams have already arrived in Egypt, with several others set to touch down at the Cairo Airport in the next two days, with a live ticker also following the arrival of all the sides set to take part in the 27th IHF Men’s World Championship. 

With the current health situation a focal point for the IHF, no spectators and no media outside the bubble will be able to attend games at Egypt 2021, with strict key measures in place to avoid outbreaks in the competition. 

However, two teams, the Czech Republic and the United States of America, had to withdraw after recording several positive COVID-19 cases before their departure to Egypt, rendering it impossible for them to take part in the 27th IHF Men’s World Championship. They have been replaced by North Macedonia and Switzerland, respectively. 

Photo: Egypt 2021