Switzerland will line up at the start of the IHF Men’s World Championship for the 12th time in history, for the second time in the last three editions and only for the third time in the last 20 years, as the European country is slowly trying to enter the conversation and become a mainstay in the world handball flagship competition.

They made it inside Europe’s top 10 in 2022, so is it possible that the upwards trajectory of the Netherlands’ men’s team in recent years can add another top 10 position at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025?

While the Netherlands' women's team are well-known for their exploits; a World or European Championship medal every year from 2015 to 2019 and three top-five Olympic Games finishes in a row (2016, 2020, 2024), the men's side are not at that level. Yet.

But they are making giant steps towards it.

Key players: Francisco Costa (right back), Martim Costa (left back), Rui Silva (centre back)

Qualification: Qualifiers Europe - phase 2 (55:45 aggregate win against Bosnia Herzegovina)

History in the competition: 1997: 19th, 2001: 16th, 2003: 12th, 2021: 10th, 2023: 13th

Group at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025: Group E (Norway, Portugal, Brazil, United States of America)

Key players: Andrea Parisini (line player), Thomas Bortoli (right back), Domenico Ebner (goalkeeper)

Qualification: European Qualification - phase 2 (66:58 on aggregate against Montenegro)

History in the competition: 1997: 18th

Group at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025: Group B (Denmark, Italy, Algeria, Tunisia)

On Friday 26 January 2024, Guinea’s men’s team made history by qualifying for their first-ever IHF Men’s World Championship, thanks to a 29:26 victory over DR Congo in the 5/6 placement match of the 2024 CAHB Men’s African Championship.

Cape Verde come to Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 for just their third IHF Men’s World Championship appearance after making their debut at Egypt 2021, and following it up with qualification through to Poland/Sweden 2023. 

To make it a trio of successive global events they finished fourth at their continental championships, the 2024 CAHB Men’s African Championship, held in Egypt.