With their 2-0 win over Norway in the final in Poland, last July, Denmark not only crowned themselves European men’s beach handball champions but qualified for the debut edition of the ANOC World Beach Games.

The took the continental title after 10 tough games played on the Polish sand, with Martin Vilstrup Andersen top-scoring for his side on 120 points, followed by teammate Simon Moss (117).

Croatia men’s beach team have a glittered history of medals in the sport, having won the European title four times (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015) and the World Championship once (2016) as well as numerous silver and bronze medals in the same competitions as well as the World Games.

One of the hot favourites for the inaugural World Beach Games men’s title is Brazil. The side have won both editions of the World Games since beach handball was formally part of the event (2013, 2017) and won five gold medals at the IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championships, including the most recent, defeating Croatia in the 2018 final in Kazan, Russia.

The self-titled ‘Sand Dogs’ qualified for Qatar 2019 by defeating continental rivals New Zealand at the 2019 Oceania (OCHF) Beach Handball Championships held in Adelaide, Australia, in February.

The result meant it was their fifth continental title, continuing their regional dominance, but also cementing their place on the global stage, having appeared at the past five IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championships and at the two official beach handball competitions at the World Games – in 2013 and 2017. 

Sweden’s men burst onto the global beach handball scene in 2018, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal at the IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship in Kazan, Russia, after losing to a determined Hungary side, who had finished in fourth spot in their previous four international competitions.

The Swedes, coached by Helene Bernhardtz and Tony Karlsson, lost to eventual champions Brazil in their semi-final, but impressed throughout their stay in Russia – their debut step onto the global stage.

Macedonian club HC Vardar arrive at the 2019 IHF Super Globe champions of Europe’s toughest international club competition, the VELUX EHF Champions League. Last season was something of a miracle for Vardar. The club had some difficulties early on and were not favourites to take the title at the final weekend in Cologne at the start of June. 

After a seven-year absence, Zamalek return to the IHF Men’s Super Globe with the goal of building on what has been a strong year for Egyptian handball. Currently featuring some of the biggest stars of the Egypt national team playing in Africa, Zamalek are the second most successful club in their national league’s history, having won 15 domestic titles – including the 2018/19 season trophy. 

Sydney University Handball Club have been Oceania’s perennial representatives at the IHF Super Globe since their debut in 2012. Aside from their stand-out fourth place finish in 2015, however, they have ranked eighth on every participation. 

Sydney Uni often have high turnover within their squad, which is one of the challenges for the amateur club. The team travelling to Saudi Arabia have been preparing together since March.  

THW Kiel are two-time Super Globe winners, three-time Champions League winners, and record title holders in what is regarded as one of the world’s toughest domestic competitions, Germany’s Bundesliga. Twenty domestic league trophies place Kiel well above any other German club in the history of the Bundesliga, and their reputation as a top handball club extends far outside their nations’ borders.