The Egyptian national handball team suffered a narrow 34-33 defeat to Germany in a friendly match played in Bremen, Germany, on Sunday, March 22, 2026. This was the second of two preparatory matches against the reigning European champions as Egypt gears up for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship, which will be held in Germany next January.
The match served as crucial preparation for the Pharaohs, allowing them to acclimate to the competitive environment and venues they will encounter during the World Championship. Germany secured the win by a single goal, following a first half where they established a significant lead, finishing with a 19-13 advantage. Despite a determined effort to close the gap in the second half, Egypt ultimately fell short.
This friendly followed a prior match on Thursday, March 19, in Dortmund, where Egypt also lost to Germany, this time by a score of 41-38. The two matches represent a key component of Egypt’s intensive preparation phase, designed to bridge the gap between continental success and global glory in handball.
Khaled Fathi, President of the Egyptian Handball Federation, is leading the Egyptian delegation in Germany. Javier Pascual, the team’s head coach, announced an 18-player roster for the training camp and matches. Fathi characterized the matches against Germany as more than just exhibition games, emphasizing the importance of experiencing the high-pressure atmosphere of German arenas ahead of the tournament.
“Facing the reigning European champions on their own soil is an essential step for the coaching staff to gauge the team’s true level,” Fathi said, according to reports. He acknowledged that although a fifth-place finish at the 2025 World Championship was a milestone, the team’s ambition is now to reach the podium.
The Egyptian squad for the March training camp included goalkeepers Mohamed Ali and Abdel Rahman Hamid. The team’s lineup featured Yahiya Khaled and Mehab Saeed at right back, while Ali Zain, Ahmed Hisham Doudou, Nabil Sharif, and Hesham Salah were selected for the left back positions. Yahiya El-Deraa, Saif El-Deraa, and Ahmed Khairy will handle playmaking duties. The right wing positions are filled by Omar Kastello and Mohamed Emad “Oka,” with Ahmed Hisham Sissa and Bilal Ibrahim on the left wing. The circle runners are Ibrahim El-Masry, Yasser Saif, and Mahmoud Abdel Aziz Geddo.
Notably absent from the roster were Ahmed Adel “Dola,” who plays for Veszprém, and Mohamed Essam El-Tayar. Their absence wasn’t immediately explained, but it’s common for teams to rotate players during friendly matches and training camps.
Germany, fresh off a silver medal finish at the recent European Championship where they lost to Denmark in the final, provided a formidable test for the Egyptian team. The German side’s strong performance underscores the level of competition Egypt will face at the 2027 World Championship.
Egypt is among the top-ranked teams in the draw for the 2027 World Championship, securing a seventh-place position among eight teams in the first tier of the seeding. Denmark currently holds the top spot, followed by Germany, Croatia, Iceland, Portugal, Sweden, Egypt, and Argentina. The draw is scheduled for June 10 in Munich.
The 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship, the 30th edition of the tournament, will be held from January 13 to 31, 2027, across six venues in Germany. The final will be played at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. The tournament has been expanded to include 32 teams, with the winner automatically qualifying for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Six spots in the Olympic qualifying tournaments will be allocated through this event.
This series of friendlies against Germany is a critical step in Egypt’s preparation. The team is clearly focused on maximizing its performance on German soil, aiming to translate continental dominance into a significant showing on the world stage. The matches provide invaluable experience and insight into the challenges that lie ahead.
The upcoming draw in Munich will further clarify Egypt’s path through the tournament, determining their group stage opponents and potential knockout round matchups. Fans will be closely watching to see how the Pharaohs fare against the world’s best handball nations.
Egypt’s next confirmed action is the draw for the 2027 World Men’s Handball Championship on June 10th in Munich. Stay tuned to Archysport for further updates on the Egyptian national team’s preparations and performance.
