With just four IHF Women’s World Championship appearances, fourth-placed Asian continental side Kazakhstan come to Kumamoto with nothing to lose.

A few months ahead of the championship 34-year-old player Marina Pikalova was named by the Kazakhstan Handball Federation as coach for Kazakhstan at Japan 2019, but with the deadline of the 28-name squad and coaching staff list looming, Berik Beknazarov was then officially announced as the coach, with Pikalova reverting to the playing side.

Despite qualifying for their very first IHF Women’s World Championship back in 1962, Japan have never finished higher than seventh and since 2000, have not finished higher than 14th (2011, 2013).

But could this change with home court advantage in Kumamoto? What is sure is that the host nation, known as ‘Orihime Japan’, have done everything they can to prepare, with an intensive programme consisting of around 140 days spent in training, split between Japan (65 days) and Europe (75 days). 

After Yugoslavia last qualified for the Olympics in 1988, Serbia have never played at this level. However, now the Balkan team are heading to Györ with the hope to break new ground and earn their first Olympic Games berth.

And although they will face strong rivals such as Russia and Hungary, this mission is certainly not impossible. In recent years, Serbia have regularly participated in IHF World Championships and EHF EUROs, and even if their results were not consistent, the team enjoyed some success. 

Slovenia are a team on the rise. After some years where they were always on the periphery of qualifying or missing a place at major international tournaments, they have become a steady presence at both European and World Championships in recent years. Since 2016, they have qualified for all EHF EUROs and World Championships – and have managed some incredible surprises during those events. 

Monday 10 December 2018 will go down in Senegalese handball history as it saw their women’s senior team, the ‘Lionesses’ defeat DR Congo 22:21 (11:9) in the semi-finals of the 23rd edition of the CAHB African Women’s Championships in Brazzaville, Congo, to make it to the gold medal match and with it, confirm their spot at the 2019 IHF Women’s World Championship in Japan.

Since their historic first international medal at the 2015 IHF Women’s World Championship, the Netherlands have been established as one of the strongest sides in handball. They are the only team to have reached the semi-finals at every major international event since that date – the 2015 and 2017 World Championships, the 2016 Olympic Games, and the 2016 and 2018 European championships. With those results came silver medals at Denmark 2015 and the EURO 2016, and bronze at Germany 2017 and the EURO 2018. 

However, they have yet to raise a trophy. 

Although Montenegro have not enjoyed their strongest results in the last few years, they can never be underestimated. Montenegro have experience, talent and motivation, which means they are always capable of playing a spectacular campaign and ranking amongst the top teams at any major international championship.