For the eight time straight since 1995, Tunisia qualified for a Men’s World Championship – their biggest success dates back to 2005, when they made it to the semi-final on home ground. Since then, Tunisia were best African nation at World Championships many times, but did not make it among the Top 8 anymore. After becoming African Champions twice in 2010 and 2012, they didn't make it two times in the continental finals, once against Egypt, once against Algeria.

With Christian Berge as Norway’s new head coach they’ve been rising like a Phoenix. After missing the 2015 World Championship, Norway made it to the EURO 2016 semi-final, where they unluckily were beaten by later-on champions Germany after extra time. By losing the bronze medal match against Croatia, they missed the direct qualification for the 2017 World Championship and then lost in the playoffs against Slovenia. Thanks to an IHF wildcard, they finally were part of the event in France - and made it to the final after leaving the Croats behind in the semi.

When the Olympic Games 2020 had been awarded to Tokyo in 2013, the Japanese Handball Federation immediately started their programme to have two competitive teams “on home ground”. They signed European coach Spaniard Carlos Antonio Ortega, but Japan changed their men’s coach after the 2017 World Championship and grabbed the chance to sign Dagur Sigurdsson for the “mission Olympic Games”. The Icelandic born had steered Germany to the European trophy in 2016 and German club Füchse Berlin to the EHF Cup trophy in 2015.

Four times they made it to the finals of the Asian Championships, but unfortunately lost all four times until they became silver medallists in 2010. Bahrain got on the map of international handball, when they had their first continental final, that they lost against Korea. Later on in 2014, 2016 and 2018, they were defeated three times in a row in the gold match by their neighbours Qatar – including two finals on home ground in Manama in 2014 and 2016.

Since hosting the EHF EURO 2010, ranking on the ninth position, the Austrians caused something like a handball euphoria in their country, qualifying for three World Championships (including 2019) and two more European Championships. On the way to Germany/Denmark, the team of Icelandic born head coach Patrekur Johannesson eliminated Belarus. Being part of the 2019 event is highly important to gain experience, as Austria (like Sweden and Norway) is one of the hosts of the 2020 European Championship.

The history of Korean handball is long and successful: In 1988 on home ground at Seoul the Korean men’s team became the first ever non-European finalists at Olympic Games. Later on and until 2012, Korea had been the leading force of Asian handball, where especially world star Kyung Shin Yoon was noticed and still is an all-time top scorer of German Bundesliga. Currently Yoon is in the coaching staff of the team, which is in the state of transition. Korea missed to qualify for the 2015 and 2017 World Championships, but now they're back.

Saudi Arabia qualified for their fourth World Championship in a row and their ninth in total. In 2013 in Spain they won the prestigious placement match 19/20 against their neighbours Qatar, but then those teams went separate ways. While Qatar strengthened their squad by naturalised players, the Saudis still count on players from their domestic league, mainly the top clubs Al-Noor and former Asian Champions League winners Mudhar.

With six World Championship trophies since 1995, France are record holders in this category - and they are mainly dominant since becoming EURO champions in 2006. From that trophy on, they took four world titles, three continental trophies and twice Olympic gold. In 2010 they were the first male handball team ever to hold all three major titles at the same time.

They were Olympic Champions, World Champions and European Champions - since the 2004 Olympic bronze medal, Russia haven’t made it to the semi-final at major events. After missing the EURO qualification for Croatia, former Olympic, World and European Champion (as a player) Eduard Koksharov took over the team and they made it from the pre-qualification through the playoffs against the Czechs to the 2019 World Championship. Parallel, Koksharov is sports director of 2017 Champions League winner HC Vardar - and it is the Russian plan to give talents playing time at this club.

In 2007 Germany celebrated the World Championship title on home ground. At the 2019 event they hope for the same extra power provided from the stands in Berlin, Cologne and hopefully Hamburg. The new coach Christian Prokop took over the team in 2017 from Dagur Sigurdsson, who had steered the Germans to the 2016 EURO title (the second one after 2004). Though they missed the 2017 World Championship semi-final and the 2018 EURO semis, the expectations are high to make it to Herning.