After a dip in the early 2020s, Germany went back to the drawing board and came back roaring. They finished fifth at the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship and fourth at the EHF EURO 2024, being one of the teams which can always spring a surprise or two, with some excellent potential.

Slovenia have qualified for the Olympic Games only three times in their history, finishing eighth at Sydney 2000, 11th at Athens 2004 and sixth at Rio 2016. Now, the European side will aim to make it to the final tournament for the fourth time, being earmarked as one of the favourites in the Olympic Qualification Tournament 1 in Granollers, Spain.

Norway made the final at the 2017 and 2019 IHF Men’s World Championship, securing the silver medal each time, and doubled down on that excellent run of form by sealing the bronze medal at the EHF EURO 2020. Since then, though, the Scandinavian side failed to get their rhythm going and finished sixth at Egypt 2021 and Poland/Sweden 2023, as well as ninth at the EHF EURO 2024.

While making their debut at the Olympic Games, at Tokyo 2020, Bahrain were one of the big surprises of the competition, becoming the only Asian team to make the quarter-finals, where they lost against eventual champions, France, 28:42. It was a big success which heralded the improvements made by Bahrain over the last decade.

One of the most consistent teams in the past years, Spain are finding themselves in uncharted waters, after finishing 13th at the EHF EURO 2024, being eliminated from the preliminary round for the first time in history, with their sixth consecutive semi-finals running streak in the European competition being ended in Germany.

Brazil missed a huge chance to secure their seventh appearance in history and their third consecutive appearance at the Olympic Games, after conceding a painful loss in the final of the 2023 Pan American Games, when they were properly dominated by Argentina, 32:25, with their big South American rivals earning the ticket for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.