For the second time in history, the United States of America clinched the title at the North American and Caribbean Men's Handball Championship, and punched their ticket for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship.

The fifth edition of the continental competition took place in Bettendorf, Iowa, between with matches being played at the TBK Bank Sports Complex from 12 to 16 May 2026, with four teams lined up at the start.

The competition saw the United States of America, Mexico, Greenland and Canada fight for the medals, with a round-robin format followed by a final between the top two sides in the group.

Despite a slow start, the USA team – arguably the most experienced in this line-up – went three out of three in the preliminary round. They started with a 32:27 win against Mexico, in a match which was definitely closer than most expected.

After 35 minutes, Mexico were only two goals down, 18:20, but USA built a five-goal lead by the 40th minute, which they managed perfectly to secure the first win. It all pointed to an USA vs Greenland final after the first day, with Greenland taking a clear 40:20 win over Canada.

The two favourites met in the second day of the competition, and the USA dominated that match, after starting the match better and executing a more comprehensive attacking plan, leading 16:11 at the break.

As goalkeeper Pal Merkovszky saved 12 shots (33% saving efficiency) and Alexandre Chan Blanco, Ian Hueter and Samuel Hoddersen each scored five goals, USA clinched a comfortable 34:24 win, to secure the first place in the standings and a place in the final.

While Canada beat Mexico, 24:19, in the other match, they also needed a win against USA in the last round to progress, but that never materialised, with the American team miles better in their mutual encounter.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Pedersen had a 62.5% saving efficiency, with 10 saves, while Merkovszky added nine more saves for a 47% saving efficiency, basically stopping Canada in its tracks.

Hoddersen and veteran Gary Phillips combined for 14 goals in what turned out to be a 34:17 win for the USA, while Greenland clinched the other place in the final on Saturday, with a dominating 35:25 win over Mexico.

Having already dominated Greenland in the preliminary round match, USA were entering the final as favourites, but Greenland had the better start, leading by one goal after 13 minutes, 6:5.

It was, however, the last moment when they were in front, as the lead changed hands quickly and USA used a 4:1 run to turn the match on its head. Yet at the break, it was everything still to play for, with Greenland down only three goals, 13:10.

Ian Hueter had, however, a fantastic match, with six goals and three assists, while Hoddersen added five more goals, and Greenland collapsed in the second half, a victim of their turnovers.

Greenland lost 20 balls due to mistakes and scored only eight goals in the last 30 minutes of the match, as USA clinched a comfortable 32:18 win, a 14-goal difference, only one goal less than in the previous final, when Cuba won against Mexico by a 15-goal gap.

In the bronze medal match, Mexico beat Canada, 23:17, to secure back-to-back appearances on the podium, after securing silver in the previous edition.

USA’s Samuel Hoddersen was the competition’s top scorer, with 22 goals, followed by Canada’s Colton Kuypers, with 18 goals, and Mexico’s Manuel Rivas Zazueta, with 17 goals. Goalkeeper Benjamin Pedersen had the best performance in the competition, saving 20 shots for a 47.6% saving efficiency.

USA secured their second continental title after the one in 2022 and their third medal in five editions of the competition, also punching the continental ticket for the North American and Caribbean Handball Confederation for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship.

It will be the third consecutive appearance on the biggest of stages for the USA men’s team, after finishing 20th in 2023 and 26th in 2025.