The coveted IHF World Player of the Year award return in full fledge, with four categories ready to find out their winners, after a transparent process of voting by the fans, coaches and the IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods members.

2023 marked the introduction of the IHF Young Male Player of the Year and the IHF Young Female Player of the Year, which underline the penchant for identifying and nurturing new talents. 

This will be the third consecutive year when the voting mechanisms are in place.

The fans have a say in the final standings of the IHF World Player of the Year awards, but the current formula sees an equal percentage of the final decision between three categories, for a better representation and a level-playing field for all the nominees. 

The fans will still have the power, as the votes casted will represent a third of the final standings. Another third will be reserved to the coaches who led their national teams at the 2025 IHF Men and Women’s World Championships. The IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods (CCM) will have the final third of the decision, with the awards being sealed by the player that has the best percentage throughout the three categories.

For all categories, three players have been shortlisted by the IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods (CCM), based on their performances in 2025, having impressed throughout the last year on the courts. The nominated players will be presented on a category-by-category basis.

For the 2025 IHF Young Female World Player of the Year, the nominees are Nina Dury (France), Julie Scaglione (Denmark) and Viola Leuchter (Germany).

The voting will be open for the fans from Sunday, 25 January 2026, from 12:00 CET, to Tuesday, 10 February 2026 at 23:59 CET, therefore more than two weeks for the fans to vote for their favourites and help them win the prestigious award.
 

Nina Dury (France)

Nina Dury has quickly established herself as a versatile two-way threat for France, excelling in both attack and defence at the senior international level. At 21 years old, she captained France to victory at the 2024 IHF Women's Junior World Championship, the first ever gold medal at this age category for France.

Making her senior debut in March 2025 against Germany, Dury shone at the 2025 IHF Women's World Championship in Germany/Netherlands, her first major senior tournament. She scored 12 goals from 20 shots (60% efficiency), with half via fast breaks, plus five steals highlighting her defensive prowess.

Playing for JDA Dijon Handball, Dury's blend of speed on the left wing and defensive intensity makes her a rising star for France's powerhouse squad, tailor-made for a team which is currently experiencing a change of generation.

 

Julie Scaglione (Denmark)

Julie Scaglione, the 21-year-old left back for Ikast Håndbold, has become a cornerstone of Denmark's attack after overcoming a knee injury, which saw her sidelined for nearly a year. She was named All-Star left back at the 2022 IHF Women's Youth World Championship, marking her early brilliance, then made good on her credentials by winning the bronze at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship.

After her comeback, Scaglione has turned as a regular in Denmark’s senior team, contributing 32 goals (4.57 per match average) and 13 assists at the 2025 IHF Women's World Championship, including a 11-goal outburst vs Senegal. In the current EHF Champions League Women season, she has scored 64 goals from 104 shots (61.5% efficiency) over 10 matches.

Following in her mother Lone Mathiesen's footsteps (1997 World Champion), Scaglione's power and consistency make her a player to watch for the future, having already plenty of experience after making her senior debut aged only 16 years old.

 

Viola Leuchter (Germany)

Viola Leuchter proved invaluable for hosts Germany at the 2025 IHF Women's World Championship in Germany/Netherlands, helping secure the silver medal - their best finish since 2007. The 21-year-old right back was named All-Star Best Young Player presented by LIDL for the second consecutive time, after receiving the same award in 2023, making history for German handball.

Despite a prior knee injury, suffered in the last match at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, Leuchter scored 28 goals in the competition, with 132 career senior goals by semifinals. She also featured at Paris 2024 Olympics and EHF EURO 2024.

Now at Danish champions Odense Håndbold, after her previous club, HB Ludwigsburg, disappeared, Leuchter's scoring touch and resilience anchor Germany's young core, making her a crucial piece of the puzzle in the future.