Coach: Klavs Bruun Jorgensen

Key players: Stine Jorgensen (Left back), Anne Mette Hansen (Left back), Sandra Toft (Goalkeeper)

Qualification information: Women’s EHF EURO 2016 – fourth place

History in tournament: 1957: 5th, 1962: 2nd, 1965: 5th, 1971: 6th, 1973: 7th, 1975: 9th, 1978-1986: DNQ, 1990: 10th, 1993: 2nd, 1995: 3rd, 1997: 1st, 1999: 6th, 2001: 4th, 2003: 13th, 2005: 4th, 2007: DNQ, 2009: 5th, 2011: 4th, 2013: 3rd, 2015: 6th

Overview:

The Denmark women’s team were once the side to beat, as three-time consecutive Olympic champions in 1996, 2000 and 2004, world champions in 1997 and continental champions in 1994, 1996 and 2002. Following that period of dominance, the Scandinavian team experienced a 16-year drought waiting for a World Championship medal, which they finally broke in 2013 when they finished third in Serbia.

Expectations were high for the home World Championship in 2015, but Denmark were knocked out of the race for the title in the quarter-final after losing a thrilling extra-time game against Romania (30:31). Further disappointment followed, as Denmark missed a place at the 2016 Olympic Games when they ranked third in Olympic Qualification Tournament 2 behind Romania and Montenegro.

Denmark therefore watched the Rio 2016 handball competition from home, where they could at least celebrate the first ever gold medal in the men’s Olympic handball competition, before returning to the international stage for the European championship. At the EHF EURO 2016, Denmark enjoyed a strong campaign that included an undefeated preliminary round in Group C (beating Czech Republic, Hungary and Montenegro) before drawing against Olympic champions Russia and beating Romania 21:17 in the main round.

The results were enough to book Denmark a place in the semi-finals, where they were defeated by the Netherlands 22:26. Denmark were sent to the bronze-medal match, which they lost to France 22:25, and therefore returned home empty-handed. Nevertheless, goalkeeper Sandra Toft was named in the All-star Team for her position and Stine Jorgensen finished as second top scorer with 47 goals. Both will be key in Denmark’s campaign again at Germany 2017.

Head coach Klavs Bruun Jorgensen assumed his role at the beginning of 2015 after a successful career as a player, including 185 international matches in the Danish jersey and four domestic league titles. Since retiring from the court, Jorgensen led several different club teams and acted as assistant coach for Ulrik Wilbek with the men’s national team at the EHF EURO 2014, where Denmark won the silver medal.

Jorgensen has outlined Denmark’s primary goal for Germany 2017 as playing a strong preliminary round campaign that will not only mean qualification for the knock-out stage, but avoiding the likes of Germany and the Netherlands in the eighth-finals. The squad will begin in preliminary Group C, coming up against 2012 Olympic silver medallists Montenegro, Japan, Tunisia, 2013 world champions Brazil and current Olympic champions Russian Federation. Denmark, Montenegro, Japan and Tunisia were all in the same group at the previous World Championship also – with Denmark beating both Japan and Tunisia, but losing to Montenegro.

Fans can follow Denmark on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

IHF & World Championship Social Media:

Follow the Germany 2017 IHF Women’s World Championship on our website, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, as well as on the tournament’s official website, Facebook, and Twitter channels.

Group at Germany 2017:
Group C: Denmark, Russian Federation, Brazil, Montenegro, Japan, Tunisia

Games at Germany 2017:
All times local

• Saturday 2 December: Denmark vs Montenegro 20:30 
• Sunday 3 December: Japan vs Denmark 20:30
• Tuesday 5 December: Denmark vs Tunisia 20:30 
• Wednesday 6 December: Brazil vs Denmark 20:30 
• Friday 8 December: Denmark vs Russia 20:30