WITHFor the first time a handball world championship will be held with 32 teams, two years ago in Germany and Denmark there were 24. In Egypt, three nations will compete for the first time, including the first two opponents of the German team in Group A, Uruguay (Friday) and Cape Verde (Sunday). Third opponent is Hungary (Tuesday). The first three of each preliminary group move into the main round, the points are carried over to the next phase. The two best-placed teams of the four main round groups then reach the knockout round, starting with the quarter-finals.
The game is played in four halls, groups A and E in the “Dr Hassan Moustafa Indoor Sports Complex” in Giza, groups B and F in the “New Capital Sports Hall” in Cairo, groups C and H in the “Borg Al Arab Sports Hall” “In Alexandria and groups D and G – with host Egypt – in the” Cairo Stadium Sports Hall “. From the semi-finals on (January 29th) the games will only take place in this largest hall in Cairo – like all games without fans. The organizers had decided on Sunday. The final will take place on January 31st.
In the favorites, defending champions Denmark come without the injured Rasmus Lauge, France have to do without Nikola Karabatic, Norway are missing Magnus Rød, and Croatia is missing Luka Stepancic. Of the top teams, only European champions Spain travel largely carefree to Egypt. No official tournament goal was given for the German team, the quarter-finals are targeted. Everything else would be a surprising encore for the selection of national coach Alfred Gislason after nine rejections, including the inner block with Patrick Wiencek and Hendrik Pekeler. The German games can be seen on ARD and ZDF. All games are available in the FAZ live ticker for the Handball World Cup.
As with other sporting events, there is a “bubble” concept to protect against the coronavirus. Those who are virus-free can get in. In addition to players and officials, this includes numerous other groups, including drivers, hotel employees, journalists and sponsors. Only those who test negative are allowed to go to Egypt at all, where the first PCR test takes place on the bus on the tarmac, another test follows on arrival at the hotel. After that, tests are carried out every 48 hours (teams and delegations) and 72 hours (all others).
Safety precautions: The arrival of the German national team in Egypt.
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Image: dpa
All eight teams that play at one venue are also accommodated in the same hotel. Medical staff, isolation rooms and even an intensive care unit are available there. If players test positive, they must immediately go into isolation, followed by tests of their own team and the last opponent. Players who are absent due to an infection may be replaced regardless of the normal change quota. Contrary to what was initially planned, infected players do not have to test negative twice before they can leave the country.
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