Germany/Netherlands 2025 will be Spain’s 10th successive IHF Women’s World Championship appearance, but it comes off the back of one of their worst-ever rankings, 13th place at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023.

That lowly place for one of Europe’s handball powerhouses was second only to their 15th place gained on their debut in 1993 and is part of a series of disappointing rankings in their last three major competition.

Since Republic of Korea's first-ever IHF Women’s World Championship qualification in 1978, only two teams in the world have been present at every event since – themselves and Romania.

Not even Germany or Norway can boast such a qualification record, and with a gold and bronze in that period, the Asian nation even has a better medal haul then the Romanians (silver and bronze).

Germany/Netherlands 2025 represents the 30th anniversary of the Brazilian women’s IHF World Championship debut, with their 17th place back at Austria/Hungary 1995 an impressive first ranking.

Since then, they have qualified for every event since, with 2025 their 16th in a row. This perfect qualification sequence highlights their dominance in their continent, since bursting onto the global scene, through the former Pan-American continental federation and now South and Central America Handball Confederation (SCAHC).

After winning silver on their IHF Women’s World Championship debut as Serbia – back in 2013 as hosts – the European side has failed to podium again despite being ever-presents in all five editions since.

In the last four editions of the IHF Women’s World Championship, France have reached the final three times, winning the title at Germany 2017 and Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023 and conceding the gold medal match against Norway at Spain 2021.

Therefore, the European side is one of the most consistent teams over the last two decades at the highest level, finishing on the podium six times in the last 11 editions, with three gold medals and three silver medals in that span, plus three top-7 finishes.

One of the most consistent teams in recent years in women’s handball, Denmark, have climbed on the podium in all major competitions since 2021 – a streak which they will certainly aim to maintain at the 27th IHF Women’s World Championship.

While Denmark are by any means new to success – opening their medal account in the second edition of the women’s flagship event – between 2000 and 2020 they have only made the top three on five occasions – twice at the EHF EURO, twice at the Olympic Games and only once at the World Championship. 

Germany play host to the IHF Women’s World Championship for the fourth time after the country welcomed the global competition in 1965, 1997 and 2017, with the 2025 edition the first time the country will be co-hosting the event.

After the reunification of East and West Germany in the early 1990s, Germany took gold in their first World Championship (1993) as a unified nation, going on to win bronze twice, in 1997 and 2007, but since then, the medal cupboard had been empty, at continental, world and Olympic level.