World Men's Handball Championship

The World Men's Handball Championship has been organized indoor by the International Handball Federation since 1938.

This article is about Indoor Championship. For Outdoor Championship, see IHF World Men's Outdoor Handball Championship.

World Men's Handball Championship

Current season, competition or edition: 2021 World Men's Handball Championship
Sport	Handball
Founded	1938
Founder	International Amateur Handball Federation
Inaugural season	1938
No. of teams	32
Continent	International (IHF)
Most recent champion(s)	Denmark (1st title)
Most titles	France (6 titles)

In the twenty-six tournaments held, eleven different nations have won the title. France is the most successful team with six titles, followed by Sweden and Romania with four titles each.

Denmark is the current champion after winning its maiden title in 2019. The next tournament will be held in Egypt in 2021.

History

The first indoor championship took place in Germany in 1938, involving four teams from Europe made up of 7 players who competed in a round robin stage to find a winner. It wouldn't be until sixteen years later where the second World Championship was held in the country of Sweden. Throughout their history, the World Championships has been dominated by European teams, with no medals being won by non-European countries until 2015, by Qatar. Over the years, the organization of the World Championships has changed. Initially, there were group games in both the preliminary and main rounds, but more recently a knockout system has been applied after the preliminary round.

Tournaments

Year	Host		Final				Third place match				Teams
			Champions	Score	Runners-up		Third place	Score	Fourth place
1938 Details	Germany		Germany	Round-robin	Austria		Sweden	Round-robin	Denmark		4
1954 Details	Sweden		Sweden	17–14	Germany^1		Czechoslovakia	24–11	Switzerland		6
1958 Details	East Germany		Sweden	22–12	Czechoslovakia		Germany^1	16–13	Denmark		16
1961 Details	West Germany		Romania	9–8 (2ET)	Czechoslovakia		Sweden	17–14	Germany^1		12
1964 Details	Czechoslovakia		Romania	25–22	Sweden		Czechoslovakia	22–15	West Germany		16
1967 Details	Sweden		Czechoslovakia	14–11	Denmark		Romania	21–19 (ET)	Soviet Union		16
1970 Details	France		Romania	13–12 (2ET)	East Germany		Yugoslavia	29–12	Denmark		16
1974 Details	East Germany		Romania	14–12	East Germany		Yugoslavia	18–16	Poland		16
1978 Details	Denmark		West Germany	20–19	Soviet Union		East Germany	19–15	Denmark		16
1982 Details	West Germany		Soviet Union	30–27 (ET)	Yugoslavia		Poland	23–22	Denmark		16
1986 Details	Switzerland		Yugoslavia	24–22	Hungary		East Germany	24–23	Sweden		16
1990 Details	Czechoslovakia		Sweden	27–23	Soviet Union		Romania	27–21	Yugoslavia		16
1993 Details	Sweden		Russia	28–19	France		Sweden	26–19	Switzerland		16
1995 Details	Iceland		France	23–19	Croatia		Sweden	26–20	Germany		24
1997 Details	Japan		Russia	23–21	Sweden		France	28–27	Hungary		24
1999 Details	Egypt		Sweden	25–24	Russia		FR Yugoslavia	27–24	Spain		24
2001 Details	France		France	28–25 (ET)	Sweden		FR Yugoslavia	27–17	Egypt		24
2003 Details	Portugal		Croatia	34–31	Germany		France	27–22	Spain		24
2005 Details	Tunisia		Spain	40–34	Croatia		France	26–25	Tunisia		24
2007 Details	Germany		Germany	29–24	Poland		Denmark	34–27	France		24
2009 Details	Croatia		France	24–19	Croatia		Poland	31–23	Denmark		24
2011 Details	Sweden		France	37–35 (ET)	Denmark		Spain	24–23	Sweden		24
2013 Details	Spain		Spain	35–19	Denmark		Croatia	31–26	Slovenia		24
2015 Details	Qatar		France	25–22	Qatar		Poland	29–28 (ET)	Spain		24
2017 Details	France		France	33–26	Norway		Slovenia	31–30	Croatia		24
2019 Details	Denmark/Germany		Denmark	31–22	Norway		France	26–25	Germany		24
2021 Details	Egypt										32
2023 Details	Poland / Sweden										32
2025 Details	Croatia/Denmark/Norway										32
2027 Details	Germany										32

• ¹: Germany sent a united team composed of players from the GDR and the FRG.

Medal table

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	France	6	1	4	11
2	Sweden	4	3	4	11
3	Romania	4	0	2	6
4	Germany	2	2	1	5
5	Russia	2	1	0	3
6	Spain	2	0	1	3
7	Croatia	1	3	1	5
	Denmark	1	3	1	5
9	Czechoslovakia	1	2	2	5
10	Soviet Union	1	2	0	3
11	Yugoslavia	1	1	2	4
12	West Germany	1	0	0	1
13	East Germany	0	2	2	4
14	Norway	0	2	0	2
15	Poland	0	1	3	4
16	Austria	0	1	0	1
	Hungary	0	1	0	1
	Qatar	0	1	0	1
19	FR Yugoslavia	0	0	2	2
20	Slovenia	0	0	1	1
Totals (20 nations)		26	26	26	78

Participating nations

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place
• 5th – Fifth place
• 6th – Sixth place
• 7th – Seventh place
• 8th – Eighth place
• 9th – Ninth place
• 10th – Tenth place
• 11th – Eleventh place
• 12th to 24th – Twelfth to twenty-fourth place
• Q — Qualified for upcoming tournament
•  ••  — Qualified but withdrew
•  •  — Did not qualify
•  ×  — Did not enter / Withdrew from the World Championship / Banned
•    — Hosts

Team	1938	1954	1958	1961	1964	1967	1970	1974	1978	1982	1986	1990	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2021	2023	2025	2027	Total
Algeria	Part of  France				•	•	•	15th	•	16th	16th	16th	•	16th	17th	15th	13th	18th	17th	•	19th	15th	17th	24th	•	•	Q	•	•	•	15
Angola	Part of  Portugal								•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	20th	21st	•	•	•	•	24th	23rd	Q	•	•	•	5
Argentina	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	22nd	21st	15th	17th	18th	16th	18th	12th	18th	12th	18th	17th	Q	•	•	•	13
Australia	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	24th	•	21st	24th	24th	24th	24th	24th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	7
Austria	2nd	•	11th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	18th	•	13th	•	19th	Q	•	•	•	7
Bahrain	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	23rd	•	•	23rd	20th	Q	•	•	•	4
Belarus	Part of  Soviet Union												•	9th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	18th	11th	•	Q	•	•	•	5
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Part of  Yugoslavia												•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Brazil	•	•	15th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	24th	24th	16th	19th	22nd	19th	19th	21st	21st	13th	16th	16th	9th	Q	•	•	•	15
Bulgaria	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	11th	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
Canada	•	•	•	•	•	16th	•	•	15th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	23rd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3
Cape Verde	Part of  Portugal								•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	Q	•	•	•	1
Chile	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	22nd	23rd	23rd	21st	16th	•	•	•	•	5
China	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	20th	20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
Croatia	Part of  Yugoslavia												•	2nd	13th	10th	9th	1st	2nd	5th	2nd	5th	3rd	6th	4th	6th	Q	•	Q	•	15
Cuba	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	13th	15th	14th	•	13th	14th	8th	•	•	•	•	20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	7
Czech Republic	See  Czechoslovakia													8th	11th	•	18th	•	10th	12th	•	•	•	17th	•	•	Q	•	•	•	7
Denmark	4th	5th	4th	5th	7th	2nd	4th	8th	4th	4th	8th	•	9th	19th	•	9th	•	9th	13th	3rd	4th	2nd	2nd	5th	10th	1st	Q	•	Q	•	25
DR Congo	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	Q	•	•	•	1
Egypt	•	•	•	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	12th	6th	6th	7th	4th	15th	14th	17th	14th	14th	16th	14th	13th	8th	Q	•	•	•	16
Finland	•	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
France	•	6th	9th	8th	13th	10th	12th	•	16th	•	•	9th	2nd	1st	3rd	6th	1st	3rd	3rd	4th	1st	1st	6th	1st	1st	3rd	Q	Q	•	•	24
Germany (including West Germany)	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	4th	6th	5th	9th	1st	7th	7th	•	6th	4th	•	5th	8th	2nd	9th	1st	5th	11th	5th	7th	9th	4th	Q	•	•	Q	26
Greece	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	6th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Greenland	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	20th	24th	•	22nd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3
Hungary	•	•	7th	•	8th	8th	8th	7th	9th	9th	2nd	6th	11th	17th	4th	11th	•	6th	•	9th	6th	7th	8th	•	7th	10th	Q	•	•	•	21
Iceland	•	•	10th	6th	9th	•	11th	14th	13th	•	6th	10th	8th	14th	5th	•	11th	7th	15th	8th	•	6th	12th	11th	14th	11th	Q	•	•	•	21
Iran	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	21st	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Italy	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	18th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Japan	•	•	•	12th	16th	11th	10th	12th	12th	14th	•	15th	•	23rd	15th	•	•	•	16th	•	•	16th	•	•	22nd	24th	Q	•	•	•	15
Kuwait	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	•	•	•	20th	•	19th	23rd	20th	22nd	19th	22nd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	8
Lithuania	Part of  Soviet Union												•	•	10th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Luxembourg	•	•	16th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
North Macedonia	Part of  Yugoslavia												•	•	•	18th	•	•	•	•	11th	•	14th	9th	15th	15th	•	•	•	•	6
Montenegro	Part of  Yugoslavia												Part of  Serbia and Montenegro							•	•	•	22nd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Morocco	/		•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	22nd	23rd	17th	22nd	23rd	•	20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	Q	•	•	•	7
Netherlands	•	•	•	11th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Nigeria	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	23rd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Norway	•	•	6th	7th	11th	13th	13th	•	•	•	•	•	13th	•	12th	13th	14th	•	7th	13th	9th	9th	•	•	2nd	2nd	Q	•	Q	•	17
Poland	•	•	5th	•	•	12th	14th	4th	6th	3rd	14th	11th	•	•	•	•	•	10th	•	2nd	3rd	8th	9th	3rd	17th	•	Q	Q	•	•	17
Portugal	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	19th	16th	12th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	Q	•	•	•	4
Qatar	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	16th	21st	23rd	•	•	20th	2nd	8th	13th	Q	•	•	•	8
Romania	•	•	13th	1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	7th	5th	9th	3rd	10th	10th	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	19th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	14
Russia	See  Soviet Union												1st	5th	1st	2nd	6th	5th	8th	6th	16th	•	7th	19th	12th	14th	Q	•	•	•	14
Saudi Arabia	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	21st	22nd	21st	10th	•	•	23rd	•	19th	22nd	20th	21st	•	•	•	•	9
Serbia	Part of  Yugoslavia												Part of  Serbia and Montenegro							•	8th	10th	10th	•	•	18th	•	•	•	•	4
Slovakia	Part of  Czechoslovakia													•	•	•	•	•	•	•	10th	17th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
Slovenia	Part of  Yugoslavia												•	18th	•	•	17th	11th	12th	10th	•	•	4th	8th	3rd	•	Q	•	•	•	9
South Korea	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	12th	12th	15th	12th	8th	14th	12th	•	•	15th	12th	13th	21st	•	•	S.	Q	•	•	•	12
Spain	•	•	12th	•	•	•	•	13th	10th	8th	5th	5th	5th	11th	7th	4th	5th	4th	1st	7th	13th	3rd	1st	4th	5th	7th	Q	•	•	•	21
Sweden	3rd	1st	1st	3rd	2nd	5th	6th	10th	8th	11th	4th	1st	3rd	3rd	2nd	1st	2nd	13th	11th	•	7th	4th	•	10th	6th	5th	Q	Q	•	•	26
Switzerland	•	4th	•	10th	12th	14th	15th	•	•	12th	11th	13th	4th	7th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	10
Tunisia	France		•	•	•	15th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	16th	12th	10th	14th	4th	11th	17th	20th	11th	15th	19th	12th	Q	•	•	•	15
Ukraine	Part of  Soviet Union												•	•	•	•	7th	•	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
United States	•	•	•	•	15th	•	16th	16th	•	•	•	•	16th	21st	•	•	24th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	Q	Q	8
Uruguay	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	Q	•	•	•	1
Discontinued teams
Czechoslovakia	•	3rd	2nd	2nd	3rd	1st	7th	6th	11th	10th	13th	7th	7th	See  Czech Republic																	12
East Germany	•	•	•	•	10th	9th	2nd	2nd	3rd	6th	3rd	8th	See  Germany																		8
Korea	See  North Korea and  South Korea																									22nd	•	•	•	•	1
Serbia and Montenegro	Part of  Yugoslavia												•	•	9th	3rd	3rd	8th	5th	See  Serbia and  Montenegro											5
Soviet Union	•	•	•	•	5th	4th	9th	5th	2nd	1st	10th	2nd	See  Russia																		8
Yugoslavia	•	•	8th	9th	6th	7th	3rd	3rd	5th	2nd	1st	4th																			10
Total	4	6	16	12	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	32	32	32	32

Statistics

List of hosts

List of hosts by number of championships hosted.

Times hosted	Host	Year(s)
8	Germany (including East and West Germany)	1938, 1958, 1961, 1974, 1982, 2007, 2019, (2027)
5	Sweden	1954, 1967, 1993, 2011, (2023)
3	Denmark	1978, 2019, (2025)
3	France	1970, 2001, 2017
2	Croatia	2009, (2025)
2	Czechoslovakia	1964, 1990
2	Egypt	1999, (2021)
1	Iceland	1995
1	Japan	1997
1	Norway	(2025)
1	Poland	(2023)
1	Portugal	2003
1	Qatar	2015
1	Spain	2013
1	Switzerland	1986
1	Tunisia	2005

All-time table for champions

As of 2019

Team	Participations	Pld	W	D	L	Titles	Top 4
Croatia	13	104	76	4	24	1	6
Czechoslovakia	12	72	41	7	24	1	5
Denmark	24	155	99	6	51	1	11
France	24	160	106	6	48	6	12
Germany (including West Germany) +  East Germany	24 +8	143 +45	104 +23	12 +6	37 +16	3	10 +4
Romania	14	83	51	4	28	4	6
Russia	13	107	66	8	33	2	3
Russia (including  Soviet Union)	21	158	101	10	47	3	7
Spain	20	146	100	7	39	2	6
Sweden	24	169	116	4	49	4	13
Yugoslavia	10	92	57	7	28	1	5

Draws include knockout matches decided in a penalty shootout.

Most successful players

Boldface denotes active handball players and highest medal count among all players (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

Multiple gold medalists

The table shows those who have won at least 3 gold medals at the World Championships.

Rank	Player	Country	From	To	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Thierry Omeyer	France	2001	2017	5	–	2	7
2	Jérôme Fernandez	France	2001	2015	4	–	2	6
	Michaël Guigou	France	2005	2019	4	–	2	6
	Nikola Karabatić	France	2005	2019	4	–	2	6
	Daniel Narcisse	France	2001	2017	4	–	2	6
6	Cédric Sorhaindo	France	2009	2019	4	–	1	5
7	Cornel Oțelea	Romania	1959	1970	3	* 1 *	1	* 5 *
8	Didier Dinart	France	2001	2011	3	–	2	5
9	Luc Abalo	France	2009	2019	3	–	1	4
10	William Accambray	France	2011	2017	3	–	–	3
	Xavier Barachet	France	2011	2017	3	–	–	3
	Guillaume Joli	France	2011	2017	3	–	–	3

* including one medal won at the 1959 World Outdoor Field Handball Championship

Multiple medalists

The table shows those who have won at least 6 medals in total at the World Championships.

Rank	Player	Country	From	To	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Thierry Omeyer	France	2001	2017	5	–	2	7
2	Jérôme Fernandez	France	2001	2015	4	–	2	6
	Michaël Guigou	France	2005	2019	4	–	2	6
	Nikola Karabatić	France	2005	2019	4	–	2	6
	Daniel Narcisse	France	2001	2017	4	–	2	6
6	Magnus Andersson	Sweden	1990	2001	2	2	2	6
	Ola Lindgren	Sweden	1990	2001	2	2	2	6
	Magnus Wislander	Sweden	1990	2001	2	2	2	6
9	Jackson Richardson	France	1993	2005	2	1	3	6

See also

• IHF World Women's Handball Championship
• IHF World Men's Outdoor Handball Championship

External links

• IHF official website (in English)
• All time statistics with link to all results and all medal winners