The groups for the 2023 Handball World Cup in Poland and Sweden were drawn in Katowice, Poland on Saturday. The German team will face Qatar, Serbia and an African team.
The IHF drew the World Championship groups for the tournament in January 2023 on Saturday.
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From January 11th to 29th, 2023, a total of 32 teams will compete in nine cities. Four teams each contest a preliminary round group, the best three qualify for the main round, the winners and runners-up of the main round groups move into the quarter-finals.
However, not all 32 participants have been determined yet. The Africa Cup, where five World Cup tickets are being fought for, will only take place in Egypt from July 9th to 19th. Due to the pandemic, the African Cup was postponed to the summer in January – in order to avoid a conflict with the Mediterranean Games, the month of July was set.
DHB team is favorite to stay in Katowice
The DHB selection is set for the preliminary round in Katowice and would also play the main round at this location if they progressed. In order to reach the minimum goal of the main round, the team of national coach Alfred Gislason has to beat Serbia, who came fifth in the Africa qualification, and Qatar, who were drawn to the Germans on Saturday. It is certainly one of the easiest groups at the World Cup and Germany is the top favorite to win the group.
The German national team was seeded in pot 1 – and is thus avoiding heavyweights such as defending champion Denmark, European champion Sweden, second place in the European Championship Spain or Olympic champion France in the preliminary round. Losfeen were among others the former world handball players Slawomir Szmal (Poland) and Magnus Wislander (Sweden).
Crunchy group for Sagosen & Co.
Hosts Poland, who meet France and Slovenia among others, will play the opening game on January 11, 2023. Spain and Norway are set for the two groups in Krakow. Sweden play first in Gothenburg, Iceland has been seeded for Kristianstad, Croatia for Jönköping and Denmark for Malmö.
More about the Handball World Cup 2023
Probably the toughest group is waiting for THW superstar Sander Sagosen and his Norwegians. In the preliminary round, three very unpleasant opponents are waiting with North Macedonia, Argentina and the Netherlands.
The “German” group E
Deutschland
Fifth of qualification in Africa
Serbia
Train
Group A
Spain
Montenegro
Chile
Iran
Group B
Poland
France
Saudi Arabian
Slovenia
Group C
Sweden
Brazil
Second in qualifying in Africa
Uruguay
Group D
Island
Portugal
Hungary
South Korea
Group F
Norway
North Macedonia
Argentina
Netherlands
Group G
Winner of qualification in Africa
Croatia
Third of qualification in Africa
USA
Group H
Denmark
Belgium
Bahrain
Fourth of qualifying in Africa
