For the 19th time in a row, the People’s Republic of China will be present at the IHF Women’s World Championship, one of the longest streaks in history for any team present in this edition of the world handball flagship competition.

The Asian side’s best results – two top-10 finishes – came in 1986 and 1990, when they ended up ninth and eighth respectively, as well as a 12th place finish in 2009, when the People’s Republic of China were the hosts.

Just over 50 years since the first recorded match for their women’s team, the northern European nation will appear on the global stage for their debut at a senior IHF World Championship.

Back at home in November 1974, the Faroese women made history with that first-ever game, against Iceland, a full six years before the Handball Federation of the Faroe Islands was formed after becoming independent of the ‘Ítróttasamband Føroya’ (Sports Federation of the Faroe Islands).

Cuba’s women return to IHF World Championship action after winning the 2025 North America and the Caribbean Handball Confederation (NACHC) Women’s Championship held in Mexico last April – it was their third gold medal in six editions of the continental event.

Poland recorded their best-ever streak at the IHF Women’s World Championship back in 2013 and 2015, when they made the semi-finals twice, but failed to secure a medal, ending up on the fourth place each time.

That golden generation has been replaced by a one which has constantly strived to improve, however the results have been mixed. In 2017, Poland ended up on the 17th place, failing to qualify from the preliminary round. Two years later, at Japan 2019, they failed to make the cut for the competition.

After finishing third in 1974 at the CAHB African Women’s Championship, Egypt have never come close to securing a place at the IHF Women’s World Championship in the next 50 years.

They took part in eight editions of the domestic competition, but have never managed to finish higher than the fifth place, therefore making qualification impossible. But with the IHF Women’s World Championship expanding to 32 teams, a new door was created for Egypt to finally make their mark and secure an appearance.

Argentina made their debut at the IHF Women’s World Championship back in 1999 and after missing out on qualification two years later, they have built together an appearance streak of 12 editions in a row, with their best result in the competition coming at Japan 2019, when they finished 16th.

Hungary have missed out on qualifying at the IHF Women’s World Championship only twice in history – in 1990 and 2011. In their previous 24 appearances, they have won nine medals, including the gold in 1965.

Four silver medals and four bronze medals make the European side the second in the medals rankings in the competition’s history, just behind Norway’s 12 medals, but Hungary have not finished on the podium since 2005.

After their joint best-ever ranking of fourth last time out – at the co-hosted Denmark/Sweden/Norway 2023 – the Swedish side will be hoping that Germany/Netherlands 2025 can provide at least one more step up the rankings and onto the podium.

A constant presence at the IHF Women’s World Championship between 2001 and 2017, Tunisia have missed out on qualifying in 2019 and 2023, but now they are back after finishing on the third place at the 2024 CAHB African Women’s Handball Championship last December.

The African side’s best finish in the competition was at their inaugural appearance, in 1975, when they were 12th, with a stronger outing also in 2009, when they made it out of the preliminary round and finished on the 14th place.