Germany stun France to reach first World Championship final in 32 years

Co-hosts Germany made history by beating title holders France 29:23 to reach their first World Championship final since 1993, controlling the game throughout as France never found their usual rhythm.

Semi-final
France vs Germany 23:29 (12:15)

Just as expected, the semi-final opened at a furious defensive pace on both ends. Physical, compact and tense, the opening minutes reflected that fully, with the score tied at 3:3 in the eighth minute and both goalkeepers, Hatadou Sako and Katharina Filter, sitting at 33% save efficiency.

Germany were the first side to make a break. They moved to a two-goal lead (6:4) and, with French misses piling up and Filter stepping up between the posts, the gap widened further. Germany ran to 8:5 and then 10:6, putting serious pressure on the title holders.

Sébastien Gardillou reacted with a time-out, aware that France were losing their grip, particularly in attack. Their conversion rate dropped to 46%, and despite producing a solid defensive performance, they simply could not break through in attack — whether it was misses, wrong passes or rushed finishes. The minute break and tactical adjustment did bring a short-lived response.

France closed in to 10:11 and, backed by a mobile and aggressive defence, limited Germany to just one shot on goal in a three-minute stretch. Momentum seemed to tilt, and with Floriane André stepping in between the posts instead of Sako, it looked like France were ready to pounce and level.

But Germany regrouped quickly. Another string of saves by Filter stabilised them, especially against Sarah Bouktit’s penalty, and France once again ran into familiar issues: poor finishing and a lack of sharpness in decisive moments. Even with Germany playing two players down at one point, France could not level or turn the tide. Germany held firm and went into the break with a deserved 15:12 lead.

It was a tough restart for France after the break. In only five minutes of the second half they committed three turnovers, compared to four in the whole first half, and opened the space for the co-hosts to get back to a four-goal lead.

That was the gap France tried to close for long stretches, but they never managed it. Their attack looked undisciplined, faltering from all positions and unable to find clear solutions. France stayed in touch mainly through their line player and Léna Grandveau’s breakthroughs, and midway through the second half they tried to shake things up by switching to a 5–1 defence. However, their defence was not at the required level, with Germany easily punching through.

A direct red card to Onacia Ondono briefly shook them, but France stuck with the defensive setup, still searching for a way back. Germany remained composed and, when hummel Player of the Match Antje Döll netted her eighth to make it 23:18, it felt like another door closing on a French comeback. And it was. The reigning champions never recovered from the deficit, as Germany continued to score with ease approaching the final buzzer.

When Lisa Antl set the final score at 29:23, Ahoy Arena erupted. Germany claimed their first win over France in 20 years - since the 32:26 victory in 2005 - and booked a place in the World Championship final for the first time in 28 years. On the other side, a disappointed France, suffering their first-ever defeat at this stage, will now turn their focus to the bronze-medal match on Sunday, entering it with two losses at Germany/Netherlands 2025.

hummel Player of the Match: Antje Döll (Germany)