Norway travel to North Macedonia determined to improve the ranking they recorded two years ago in Georgia, where they finished 17th. It was the lowest ranking in Norway’s history at the Men’s Youth World Championship, and the Scandinavian team will certainly hope to avoid such a result again. 

Norway’s previous history at the Youth World Championship was more successful. At the two editions immediately prior to 2017, they finished fifth and sixth. On their one other participation, in 2009, Norway placed eighth. 

Like the hosts (and fellow group C side) North Macedonia, Nigeria are appearing in their first-ever IHF Men’s Youth World Championship.

The west African nation qualified through a top four finish at the 2018 CAHB Men’s African Youth Championship held in Morocco last September claiming bronze in the round-robin tournament, but it was a nervy end for Emeka Joseph Nnanami’s side who, going into the final round of matches, were third on six points with Algeria and Guinea on four. 

Aside from one anomaly in 2017, Germany have consistently ranked among the top 10 teams at the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship – and this year, they appear to have a strong chance of not only continuing that tradition but reaching the final stages. 

The current generation of youth players have already had a taste of major international success, as they won the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival. In 2018, Germany secured their place at North Macedonia 2019 by way of a sixth-place finish at the U18 EHF EURO. 

France arrive in Skopje for the 2019 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship as the back-to-back defending champions in this event, hoping to make their way to the podium once again. However, the task for France appears more difficult than in previous years – at least on paper. 

Seven athletes who will represent Chile at the North Macedonia 2019 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship also competed at the Junior World Championship, which took place in Spain from 16-28 July. This procedure is not new to them – and the last time they did so, the result was brilliant.

“At the last Youth World Championship in Georgia, we managed to rank among the best 16 teams – it was a dream come true!” declares Chile coach Claudio Lira. “If this time we can finish 19th or higher, that would be favourable conclusion.”

Portugal did not meet their expectations at the 2018 Men’s U18 EURO in Croatia. Their 11th place was not enough to qualify for the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship. However, as soon as their spot at North Macedonia 2019 was confirmed as substitute nation for Oceania, they changed their mindset and decided they are up for big things.

“Our primary goal is to finish in the top 16 teams. We would like to play as good as we can and get ready for the knock-out stage,” says coach Aleksandar Radosavljevic. “My wish is to win the eighth-final round and to get the maximum from this generation although we are missing three players who are with the junior team.”

They were close two times and their aim is to finally make it this year. Iceland were runners-up at the Tunisia 2009 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship and climbed the podium at Brazil 2015. But the gold medal is still missing, and they are ready to fight for it in North Macedonia.

Coach Heimir Rikardsson knows the potential of his team perfectly well. He led them to the final of the 2018 Men’s U18 EURO, where they lost to Sweden 32:27 – whom the Icelandic side had beaten 29:24 in the preliminary round.

Argentina’s campaign at the 2019 Men’s Youth South and Central American Championship was positive, despite not being able to close the tournament the way they would have wanted. It was the first time the team played together officially – after more than one year of training in three weekly sessions.

Tunisia enter North Macedonia 2019 as the second-best team from Africa after finishing behind Egypt at the 2018 CAHB Men's African Youth Championship in Morocco last September. The tournament took place in a round-robin format, with the Tunisians falling at the final hurdle, losing 22:16 to the Egyptians to effectively hand them the title but their place in Skopje had already been booked by then.