Romania are the only team in history to have taken part at each and every edition of the IHF Women’s World Championship, this being their 27th appearance. However, the European side has been navigating on shaky ground over the last editions, having finished 10th at Germany 2017, 12th at Japan 2019, 13th at Spain 2021 and 12th at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023.

Czechia will be appearing at an IHF Women’s World Championship as an independent nation for the ninth time.

And while the pedigree of their former nation is in no doubt – they won the first-ever indoor women’s World Championship in 1957 – it has been a longer process for the independent nation, eighth their best ranking, gained both in 2017 and last time out, in 2023.

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That golden generation has been replaced by a one which has constantly strived to improve, however the results have been mixed.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.

Angola – nicknamed ‘The Pearls’ – once again set the continental standard, winning the African championship last year to qualify through to Germany/Netherlands 2025.

It was their 15th gold in the past 17 editions of the continental event and ensured the Angolans have not missed an edition of the world championship since qualifying through to their first-ever IHF Women’s World Championship in 1990.

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.