Following the conclusion of the first four groups of the preliminary round of the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship in Poland and Sweden, the International Handball Federation has released the schedule for Group I and Group II of the main round, scheduled in Krakow and Gothenburg, as well as for Group I of the President’s Cup, which takes place in Plock.

The top three teams from each of the four concluded groups have advanced to the main round, taking with them the points secured against the other qualified teams, while the fourth-placed sides went directly to the President’s Cup, where the standings start from scratch.

All matches in the main round are scheduled in three slots, with the day starting at 15:30 CET, followed by matches set to start at 18:00 CET and 20:30 CET in both Krakow and Gothenburg.

The main round’s Group I will start in Krakow on Wednesday, 18 January, with a three-match card, highlighted by the clash between Spain and co-hosts Poland, a last-chance saloon for Poland, who are starting this phase of the competition with zero points after their losses against France and Poland. The clash between France and Spain, the two teams starting this phase with four points, will take place on Sunday, 22 January, at 20:30 CET.

In Group II in Gothenburg, co-hosts Sweden, the only side to start the group with four points, will play all their matches at 20:30 CET, beginning with a match against Hungary on Wednesday, followed by a clash against Iceland on Friday and a match against Portugal, the winner of Group D, on Sunday.

The schedule for Groups III and IV of the main round, as well as for Group II of the President’s Cup, will be released after the conclusion of the last eight matches of the preliminary round, scheduled for Tuesday, 17 January.

Poland/Sweden 2023 – Main round schedule

Group I (in Krakow, Poland)

Wednesday, 18 January
15:30 Islamic Republic of Iran vs Slovenia
18:00 France vs Montenegro
20:30 Spain vs Poland

Friday, 20 January
15:30 Slovenia vs Spain
18:00 Islamic Republic of Iran vs France
20:30 Montenegro vs Poland

Sunday, 22 January
15:30 Montenegro vs Slovenia
18:00 Islamic Republic of Iran vs Poland
20:30 Spain vs France

Group II (in Gothenburg, Sweden)

Wednesday, 18 January
15:30 Portugal vs Brazil
18:00 Cape Verde vs Iceland
20:30 Sweden vs Hungary

Friday, 20 January
15:30 Cape Verde vs Portugal
18:00 Brazil vs Hungary
20:30 Iceland vs Sweden

Sunday, 22 January
15:30 Cape Verde vs Hungary
18:00 Brazil vs Iceland
20:30 Sweden vs Portugal

President’s Cup 

Group I (in Plock, Poland)

Wednesday, 18 January
15:30 Chile vs Saudi Arabia
18:00 Uruguay vs Republic of Korea

Friday, 20 January
15:30 Chile vs Uruguay
18:00 Saudi Arabia vs Republic of Korea

Sunday, 22 January
13:00 Republic of Korea vs Chile
15:30 Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay