With a little over three months left until the start of the 2026 IHF Women’s Junior (U20) World Championship, which will see the People’s Republic of China host the competition for the second time in history, preparations are now in full swing, with the draw for the preliminary round taking place in the IHF Head Office in Basel on Wednesday, 18 March, at 11:00 CET.

31 of the 32 spots for the tournament have been secured. Defending world champions France lead the qualified teams, joined in Pot 1 by Germany, Spain, Denmark, Austria, Montenegro, Hungary and Croatia. 

Pot 2 includes Romania, Czechia, Poland, Serbia, hosts People’s Republic of China, Egypt, Japan and Republic of Korea. Pot 3 features Sweden, Norway, Guinea, Brazil, Chinese Taipei, Argentina, Iceland and Angola, while Pot 4 comprises Tunisia, Türkiye, India, Paraguay, Canada, United States of America, Australia and the winner of the IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase.

The IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase will take place from 7–11 April 2026 in Bulgaria. In case Guinea or Canada – both already qualified for China 2026 – win the IHF Trophy, the place will be assigned to the next ranked team from the corresponding continental qualification event: Algeria for Africa if Guinea prevail, or Greenland for North America and the Caribbean if Canada triumph.

Based on the Regulations for IHF Competitions, the 2026 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship draw will be conducted using four performance rows. The preliminary round will consist of eight groups of four teams each, with the top two sides in each group progressing to the main round.

Teams in Pot 1 will be drawn in performance row 1, Pot 2 in row 2, Pot 3 in row 3 and Pot 4 in row 4. The 4th performance row is drawn first, followed by the 3rd and then the 1st row. Teams from Pots 4, 3 and 1 (starting with Pot 4 and in descending order) are drawn into Groups A–H in alphabetical order, i.e., the team drawn first will go into Group A, the second team into Group B, etc. The 2nd performance row is drawn last, with the hosts China having the prerogative to assign themselves to a group of their choice in row 2 before the remaining Pot 2 teams are drawn into Groups A–H in alphabetical order.

The competition will be played from 24 June to 5 July 2026 across four arenas in Jinzhong: Jinzhong City Gymnasium, Jinzhong Vocational & Technical College Gymnasium, Shanxi Medical University Zhongdu Campus Gymnasium and Jinzhong University Gymnasium. 

The top two teams in each group will progress to the main round, with the other two teams heading to the President’s Cup. The top two sides from each main round group will qualify for the quarter-finals.

2026 IHF Women's Junior World Championship - pots 

Pot 1: Germany, Spain, Denmark, Austria, France, Montenegro, Hungary, Croatia
Pot 2: Romania, Czechia, Poland, Serbia, People's Republic of China, Egypt, Japan, Republic of Korea
Pot 3: Sweden, Norway, Guinea, Brazil, Chinese Taipei, Argentina, Iceland, Angola
Pot 4: Tunisia, Türkiye, India, Paraguay, Canada, United States of America, Australia, IHF Trophy