Ihf World Men's Handball Championship

IHF World Men's Handball Championship

Current season, competition or edition: 2025 World Men's Handball Championship
Sport	Handball
Founded	1938; 86 years ago (1938)
Founder	International Amateur Handball Federation
First season	1938
No. of teams	32 (finals)
Continent	International (IHF)
Most recent champion(s)	Denmark (3rd title)
Most titles	France (6 titles)

In the twenty-eight tournaments held, twelve national teams have won the title. France is the most successful team with six titles, followed by Sweden and Romania with four titles each.

The current champion is Denmark, which won its third consecutive title at the 2023 tournament in Poland and Sweden.

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 have 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 since the 1995 edition a knockout system has been applied after the preliminary round.

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	2029	2031	Total
Algeria	Part of   France				×	×	×	15th	•	16th	16th	16th	•	16th	17th	15th	13th	18th	17th	•	19th	15th	17th	24th	•	•	22nd	31st	Q				17
Angola	Part of   Portugal								•	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	×	•	20th	21st	•	•	•	•	24th	23rd	30th	•	•				5
Argentina	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	22nd	21st	15th	17th	18th	16th	18th	12th	18th	12th	18th	17th	11th	19th	Q				15
Australia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	24th	•	21st	24th	24th	24th	24th	24th	•	×	•	•	•	×				7
Austria	2nd	×	11th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	18th	•	13th	•	19th	26th	•					7
Bahrain	Part of   Great Britain							×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	23rd	•	••	23rd	20th	21st	16th	Q				6
Belarus	Part of   Soviet Union												•	9th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	18th	11th	•	17th	×	×				5
Belgium	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	21st	•				1
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Part of   Yugoslavia												•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	20th	•	•	•	•					1
Brazil	×	×	15th	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	24th	24th	16th	19th	22nd	19th	19th	21st	21st	13th	16th	16th	9th	18th	17th	Q				17
Bulgaria	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	11th	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×				2
Canada	×	×	×	×	•	16th	•	×	15th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	23rd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×					3
Cape Verde	Part of   Portugal								×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	32nd	23rd	Q				3
Chile	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	22nd	23rd	23rd	21st	16th	27th	26th	Q				8
China	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	20th	20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	•				2
Croatia	Part of   Yugoslavia												•	2nd	13th	10th	9th	1st	2nd	5th	2nd	5th	3rd	6th	4th	6th	15th	9th	Q				16
Cuba	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	13th	15th	14th	•	13th	14th	8th	•	•	•	•	20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•					7
Czech Republic	See   Czechoslovakia													8th	11th	•	18th	•	10th	12th	•	•	•	17th	•	•	••	•					6
Denmark	4th	5th	4th	5th	7th	2nd	4th	8th	4th	4th	7th	•	9th	19th	•	9th	•	9th	13th	3rd	4th	2nd	2nd	5th	10th	1st	1st	1st	Q			Q	27
DR Congo	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	28th	•	•				1
Egypt	×	×	×	×	14th	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	12th	6th	6th	7th	4th	15th	14th	17th	14th	14th	16th	14th	13th	8th	7th	7th	Q				18
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	4th	2nd	Q			Q	26
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	12th	5th	Q	Q		Q	29
Greece	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	6th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•					1
Greenland	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	20th	24th	•	22nd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•					3
Guinea	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	Q				1
Hungary	×	•	7th	•	8th	8th	8th	7th	9th	9th	2nd	6th	11th	17th	4th	11th	•	6th	•	9th	6th	7th	8th	•	7th	10th	5th	8th					22
Iceland	×	×	10th	6th	9th	•	11th	14th	13th	•	6th	10th	8th	14th	5th	•	11th	7th	15th	8th	•	6th	12th	11th	14th	11th	20th	12th				Q	22
Iran	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	21st	•	•	•	24th	•				2
Italy	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	18th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•					1
Japan	×	×	×	12th	16th	11th	10th	12th	12th	14th	•	15th	•	23rd	15th	•	•	•	16th	•	•	16th	•	•	22nd	24th	19th	×	Q				16
Kuwait	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	15th	•	•	•	20th	•	19th	23rd	20th	22nd	19th	22nd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	Q				9
Lithuania	Part of   Soviet Union												•	•	10th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•					1
Luxembourg	×	×	16th	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•				1
Montenegro	Part of   Yugoslavia												Part of   Serbia and Montenegro							•	•	•	22nd	•	•	•	•	18th					2
Morocco	/		×	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	22nd	23rd	17th	22nd	23rd	•	20th	•	•	•	•	•	•	29th	30th	•				8
Netherlands	×	×	×	11th	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	14th					2
Nigeria	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	23rd	×	•	×	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•				1
North Macedonia	Part of   Yugoslavia												•	•	•	18th	•	•	•	•	11th	•	14th	9th	15th	15th	23rd	27th					8
Norway	×	•	6th	7th	11th	13th	13th	•	•	•	•	•	13th	•	12th	13th	14th	•	7th	13th	9th	9th	•	•	2nd	2nd	6th	6th	Q			Q	19
Poland	×	×	5th	•	•	12th	14th	4th	6th	3rd	14th	11th	•	•	•	•	•	10th	•	2nd	3rd	8th	9th	3rd	17th	•	13th	15th					17
Portugal	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	19th	•	16th	12th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	10th	13th					5
Qatar	Part of   Great Britain							×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	16th	21st	23rd	•	•	20th	2nd	8th	13th	8th	22nd	Q				10
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	14th	×	×				14
Saudi Arabia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	21st	22nd	21st	10th	•	•	23rd	•	19th	22nd	20th	21st	•	29th	•				10
Serbia	Part of   Yugoslavia												Part of   Serbia and Montenegro							•	8th	10th	10th	•	•	18th	•	11th					5
Slovakia	Part of   Czechoslovakia													•	•	•	•	•	•	•	10th	17th	•	•	•	•	•	•					2
Slovenia	Part of   Yugoslavia												•	18th	•	•	17th	11th	12th	10th	•	•	4th	8th	3rd	•	9th	10th					10
South Korea	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	12th	12th	15th	12th	8th	14th	12th	•	•	15th	12th	13th	21st	•	•	S.	31st	28th	•				13
Spain	×	•	12th	•	•	•	•	13th	10th	8th	5th	5th	5th	11th	7th	4th	5th	4th	1st	7th	13th	3rd	1st	4th	5th	7th	3rd	3rd					22
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	2nd	4th	Q				27
Switzerland	×	4th	×	10th	12th	14th	15th	•	•	12th	11th	13th	4th	7th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	16th	•					11
Tunisia	France		×	×	×	15th	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	16th	12th	10th	14th	4th	11th	17th	20th	11th	15th	19th	12th	25th	25th	Q				17
Ukraine	Part of   Soviet Union												•	•	•	•	7th	•	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•				2
United States	×	×	×	×	15th	•	16th	16th	•	•	•	•	16th	21st	•	•	24th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	••	20th	Q	Q			9
Uruguay	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	24th	32nd	•				2
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	North Korea/  South Korea						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	32	32

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 (1938–2023)

Team	Participations	Pld	W	D	L	Titles	Top 4
Croatia	15	123	89	6	28	1	6
Czechoslovakia	12	72	41	7	24	1	5
Denmark	25	174	115	8	51	3	13
France	24	178	121	6	51	6	14
Germany	19	145	99	11	35	2	8
Romania	14	83	51	4	28	4	6
Russia	13	107	66	8	33	2	3
Soviet Union	8	51	35	2	14	1	4
Spain	22	164	114	8	42	2	8
Sweden	26	187	129	6	52	4	15
West Germany	7	44	28	4	12	1	2
Yugoslavia	10	92	57	7	28	1	5

Draws include knockout matches decided in a penalty shootout.

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

Rank	Player	Country	From	To	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Thierry Omeyer	France	2001	2017	5	–	2	7
2	Nikola Karabatić	France	2005	2023	4	1	2	7
3	Jérôme Fernandez	France	2001	2015	4	–	2	6
	Michaël Guigou	France	2005	2019	4	–	2	6
	Daniel Narcisse	France	2001	2017	4	–	2	6
6	Cédric Sorhaindo	France	2009	2019	4	–	1	5
7	Mikkel Hansen	Denmark	2011	2023	3	2	–	5
	Niklas Landin Jacobsen	Denmark	2011	2023	3	2	–	5
9	Cornel Oțelea	Romania	1959	1970	3	* 1 *	1	* 5 *
10	Mads Mensah Larsen	Denmark	2013	2023	3	1	–	4
	Henrik Møllgaard	Denmark	2013	2023	3	1	–	4

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

Multiple medalists

The table shows players 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	Nikola Karabatić	France	2005	2023	4	1	2	7
3	Jérôme Fernandez	France	2001	2015	4	–	2	6
	Michaël Guigou	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

The record-holder for scored goals in a single World Championship is Kiril Lazarov. He scored 92 goals for Macedonia in nine matches at the 2009 World Championship.

Year	Player	Goals
1938	Yngve Lamberg   Hans-Werner Obermark   Hans Theilig	6
1954	Otto Maychrzak	16
1958	Mogens Olsen	46
1961	Petre Ivănescu   Zdeněk Rada	24
1964	Hans (Ioan) Moser	33
1967	Herbert Lübking	38
1970	Vladimir Maksimov	31
1974	Ștefan Birtalan	43
1978	Jerzy Klempel   Péter Kovács	47
1982	Vasile Stîngă	65
1986	Kang Jae-won	67
1990	Roberto Julián Duranona   Aleksandr Tuchkin	55
1993	Marc Baumgartner   József Éles   Yoon Kyung-shin	41
1995	Yoon Kyung-shin	86
1997	Yoon Kyung-shin	62
1999	Rolando Uríos	57
2001	Eduard Koksharov	61
2003	Carlos Pérez	64
2005	Wissem Hmam	81
2007	Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson	66
2009	Kiril Lazarov	92
2011	Mikkel Hansen	68
2013	Anders Eggert	62
2015	Dragan Gajić	71
2017	Kiril Lazarov	50
2019	Mikkel Hansen	72
2021	Frankis Carol	58
2023	Mathias Gidsel	60

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