Just over two years on from taking the role as Hungary men’s head coach (March 2022), José María Rodríguez Vaquero, better known as Chema Rodríguez, has overseen consistent qualification for his team at major events, the minimum required for one of handball’s most historic nations.

Sweden are one of the two teams which have won 12 medals in the previous 28 editions of the IHF Men’s World Championship, securing the title four times. In fact, they have a perfectly balanced resume, with four gold medals, four silver medals and four bronze medals, with the last place on the podium coming at Egypt 2021, when they ended up on the second place.

Since their maiden appearance at the IHF Men’s World Championship, at Sweden 2011, Chile have not missed any of the next seven editions, as Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 will be the eight consecutive appearance for the South American side between the top teams in the world.

Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 will be the 16th consecutive edition of the IHF Men’s World Championship when Tunisia enter the fray, one of the longest active streaks in the competition, with the African side delivering some fantastic performances over the years.

Their best result was the fourth place sealed in 2005, when Tunisia hosted the competition, but over the last editions, the African side has somewhat faltered, after ending up on the 12th place at Germany/Denmark 2019.

“After the performances we've shown at the EHF EURO 2024, the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification Tournament and the 2025 IHF World Championship qualification itself, our goal is definitely the main round,” said Austria’s head coach Aleš Pajovič after he guided his side to a 64:56 aggregate two-legged victory over Georgia in May to stamp their ticket to Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025.

But it was not plain sailing for the European side in against the Georgians, a nation who have never qualified for a senior IHF Men’s World Championship.

Over the past four editions of the IHF Men’s World Championship, Norway have been one of the most consistent teams in the competition, making the final twice, at France 2017 and Denmark/Germany 2019, when they won the silver medal, and the quarter-finals twice, at Egypt 2021 and Poland/Sweden 2023.

The Scandinavian side finished on the sixth place in the last two occasions, but consolidated their status as one of the best teams in the world, also making the cut for the Olympic Games at the last two editions – Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

Over the past 30 years, Japan have made the cut for the IHF Men’s World Championship eight times from a possible 15 appearances, but the Asian side looks to finally be on the up and cement their status at both the continental and the global level in men’s handball.

The last time Japan made the top-10 at the IHF Men’s World Championship was in 1970, 55 years ago, and have never finished higher than the 15th place – in 1997 – over the last 30 years. But slowly, with a lot of patience, Japan have built a dazzling team, which had already delivered some excellent result.

Bahrain arrive at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025 for just their sixth IHF Men’s World Championship appearance, having made their debut at the 2011 edition in Sweden.

Fourteen years ago, the Asian side could only finish 23rd out of 24 teams, but they have not seen their ranking dip below that in their four appearances since, most impressively finishing 16th last time out, in 2023.

Pálmarsson and Iceland look to break inside world’s top 10 once again

The co-hosts of the 2031 IHF Men’s World Championship (alongside Norway and Denmark) come to the tri-hosted 2025 edition looking to inspirational captain Aron Palmarsson to help guide them back inside the top 10 of the global elite.

Back in 2009 Croatia hosted the IHF Men’s World Championship, winning nine games in a row to make it to the final at the Arena Zagreb, where they lost to France 19:24 – a team they had beaten a few days earlier in the main round stage.

Now, in 2025 as co-hosts along with Norway and Denmark, Croatia will be hoping to be on the podium once again and for the first time since 2013 when they ended with bronze.