The 2025 World Women's Handball Championship qualification decided who qualified for the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship in Germany and Netherlands. Excluding the previous World Championship, qualifying occurred between October 2024 and April 2025. The championship will feature 32 teams for the third time.
Qualified teams
Country Qualified as Qualification date Previous appearances in tournament Co-host 15 (1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) Co-host 14 (1971, 1973, 1978, 1986, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) Defending champion 16 (1986, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) Top three of 2024 Central and South American Championship 12 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 15 (1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 5 (1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2011) Semifinalists of 2024 African Championship 10 (1975, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021) 17 (1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 2 (2019, 2023) 0 (Debut) Semifinalists of 2024 Asian Championship 20 (1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 7 (2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023) 21 (1962, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1986, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 2 (2021, 2023) Semifinalists of 2024 European Championship 24 (1957, 1962, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 22 (1971, 1973, 1975, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 22 (1957, 1962, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) European playoffs 2 (2011, 2023) 7 (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 18 (1957, 1962, 1965, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023) 14 (1957, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2021, 2023) 9 (1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2023) 12 (1993, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 0 (Debut) 26 (1957, 1962, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 8 (2001, 2003, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 12 (1957, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) 0 (Debut) Wildcard 18 (1986, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2019, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) Winner Of 2025 Nor.Ca. Handball Championship 4 (1999, 2011, 2015, 2019) Winner Of 2025 South and Central American Handball Last Chance Qualifier 5 (2007, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2023) Wildcard 9 (1993, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2021, 2023)
Slot allocation The slot allocation is as follows: AHF (Asia): 4 slots CAHB (Africa): 4 slots EHF (Europe): 17 slots (including the two co-hosts and defending champion) NACHC (North America and the Caribbean): 1 slot OCHF (Oceania): 0 slots SCAHC (South and Central America): 4 slots Wildcards: 2 slots
Detailed distribution of places (following current IHF rules) Vacancies Details Comments Organisers 2 Reigning world champion 1 Performance places for the continental confederations 12 Based on teams ranked 1–12 in the preceding world championshipAfrica 0 Asia 0Europe 11North America and the Caribbean 0South and Central America 1 As Brazil ranked 9th in previous World ChampionshipOceania 0 Compulsory places for the continental confederations 15 17 compulsory places reduced by 1 due to having two organisersAfrica 4Asia 4Europe 3 4 compulsory places reduced by 1 due to having two organisers from EuropeNorth America and the Caribbean 1South and Central America 3Oceania 0 or 1 Place allocated to Oceania or an additional free wild card Wild card 1 or 2 Total 32
Summary Summary of qualification process The World Championship hosts will be directly qualified, along with the reigning world champions. In regards to the 12 performance spots, and based on the results of the 2025 Women's World Championship, Europe receives 11 more spots, while South and Central America takes 1.
Detailed summary of qualification processConfederationDirect slotsTeams startedTeams eliminatedTeams qualifiedPercentage of entered teams with spots in finalsQualifying start dateQualifying end dateAHF 4 8 4 4+1 50% 3 December 2024 10 December 2024CAHB 4 12 8 4 33% 27 November 2024 7 December 2024EHF 15+2 34+2 19 15+2+1 44.11% 24 October 2024 13 April 2025NACHC 1 5 4 1 20% 7 April 2025 12 April 2025OCHF 0 or 1 0 0 0 0% SCAHC 4 8 4 4 50% 26 November 2024 26 April 2025Total28+2+214+22428+2+2 24 October 2024 13 April 2025
Summary of qualified teams Competition Dates Host Vacancies Qualified Host nations 28 February 2020 Cairo 2 2023 World Championship 17 December 2023 1 2024 South and Central American Championship 26–30 November 2024 Niterói 3+1 2024 African Championship 27 November – 7 December 2024 Kinshasa 4 2024 Asian Championship 3–10 December 2024 New Delhi 4 2024 European Championship 28 November – 15 December 2024 3 2025 Nor.Ca. Women's Championship 7–12 April 2025 Mexico City 1 European qualification 24 October 2024 – 13 April 2025 Various 11 2025 South and Central American Last Chance Qualifier 3–10 December 2024 Palmira 1 Wild card 31 March 2025 Doha1
1. To bear in mind the 2028 Summer Olympics, the IHF Council awarded the United States wild cards for the 2025 and 2027 World Championships. If they reach a certain performance level.
2. If countries from Oceania (Australia or New Zealand) participating in the Asian Championships finish within the top 5, they will qualify for the World Championships. If either finishes sixth or lower, the place would have been transferred to the wild card spot. As New Zealand didn't registered and Australia withdrew before the draw, the place is transferred.
2023 World Championship
World champion directly qualified for 2025 edition. France won the 2023 World Championship to secure their ticket to the 2025 edition.
Rank Team 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
Asia
Eight teams competed in the Asian Championship, held at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi, India, from 3 to 10 December 2024. The top 4 reached the world championship. Since Australia withdrew before the competition started, Oceania's spot was made into a second wildcard. Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and South Korea reached the world championship. Group AGroup B
Bracket
Final standing Rank Team 4 5 6 7 8
Qualified for the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship
Africa
Twelve teams competed in the African Championship, held at the Stade des Martyrs Gymnasium in Kinshasa, DR Congo, from 27 November to 7 December 2024. The top four from the championship qualified. Those teams ended up being Angola, Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia. Group AGroup B
Bracket
Final standing Rank Team 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Team qualified for the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship
Europe
The three highest ranked non-qualified teams secure a ticket to the world championship. Rank Team 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Team qualified for the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship
European qualification
From October 2024 to April 2025, the EHF organised a separate qualification for 11 places.
Bracket The draw took place on 15 December 2024 in Vienna.
North America and Caribbean
The championship was held from 7 to 12 April 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. The top winner of the championship qualified. Cuba would finish and advance to the world championship.
Rank Team 4 5
South and Central America
Six teams competed in the South and Central American Championship, held at the Colégio Niterói in Niterói, Brazil, from 26 to 30 November 2024. The top three from the championship qualified. Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay would finish in top three and advance to the world championship.
Last chance tournament
To decide the last qualifier, a last chance tournament was organised in Palmira, Colombia between the 24 to 26 April 2025.
Wildcards After no Oceanian team achieved a top 5 finish in the Asian Championship, two wildcards were given out by the IHF. On 31 March 2025, China was given the first wildcard due to good performances and country's position, making it a big market for the sport.
The United States were provisionally given a wildcard, so the team could use this opportunity to prepare for the 2028 Summer Olympics which they will be hosting. However, their lack of progress led the IHF to choose a different wildcard. Later on, four countries applied.
After their play off loss to Serbia, Slovenia's coach, Dragan Adžić, stated that his team deserved the last wildcard. On 12 May 2025, Croatia was given the second wildcard, with Slovenia as the first standby.
Notes
References
External links Official website IHF website