Kuwait in Pot 4 ahead of the 2027 World Handball Championship draw

A file photo of players in action.

KUWAIT CITY, June 9: The draw ceremony for the 30th IHF Men’s World Handball Championship will be held today at 10:00 a.m. (Kuwait time), Setting the stage for the tournament scheduled to take place in Germany in January 2027.

The International Handball Federation (IHF) confirmed that the draw will be conducted in Munich, Germany, at the renowned Hofbräuhaus Hall, with the proceedings broadcast live on the federation’s official YouTube channel for fans and media worldwide.

The IHF has also called on all participating federations and delegations to coordinate with the local organizing committee regarding attendance and representation arrangements for the event.

In preparation for the championship, the federation adopted a transparent system for assigning teams to host cities, taking into consideration geographical and cultural factors aimed at enhancing fan engagement and maximizing attendance.

The teams have been seeded into four pots based on world rankings and continental performances.

Pot 1: Denmark, Germany, Croatia, Iceland, Portugal, Sweden, Egypt, and Argentina.

Pot 2: France/Czech Republic, Switzerland/Italy, Norway, Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, Faroe Islands, and North Macedonia.

Pot 3: Netherlands, Austria, Brazil, Bahrain, Tunisia, Cape Verde, Chile, and the North American representative.

Pot 4: Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, Algeria, Angola, Uruguay, and two wild-card teams.

The draw is expected to provide an early indication of the challenges awaiting the participating nations as they begin their quest for world championship glory in 2027.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff