11 tickets for Women's World Championship await

EHF / Courtney Gahan

08 April 2025, 11:00

22 European teams are set to battle for places at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship this week, with 11 two-leg ties taking place across the continent, and the aggregate winners to progress to the final tournament in the Netherlands and Germany.

EURO24W Switzerland Vs. Slovenia UH23818 UH

Spotlight on:

Slovenia vs Serbia
First leg: Wednesday 9 April, 18:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
Second leg: Sunday 13 April, 18:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

neither side have missed a World Championship for several editions, with Slovenia playing the last four in a row, starting in 2017, and Serbia playing every edition since they hosted in 2013
the 2013 World Championship was Serbia’s first in the national team’s current form, after participating as Serbia and Montenegro, and they made it all the way to the final, recording their best result to date as they clinched the silver medal
however, at the 2023 World Championship, Serbia finished with their lowest ranking in the history of the event, at 21st, while Slovenia placed 11th
despite a significantly changed squad following the Paris 2024 Olympics, Slovenia also ranked above Serbia at the EHF EURO 2024, at 10th, while Serbia were 21st
overall, Slovenia have been on an upwards trajectory in recent years, with two of their three best EHF EURO rankings recorded, their highest World Championship placement and their debut at the Olympic Games made at Paris 2024
Slovenia’s Tjaša Stanko was named the All-star Team left back at the EHF EURO 2024 after ranking among the top three in both scoring and assists; her transfer to Györ for the next EHF Champions League season was announced at the start of April

Croatia vs Spain
First leg: Thursday 10 April, 17:30 CEST, live on EHFTV
Second leg: Sunday 13 April, 12:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

Spain have been regular participants in the Women’s World Championship since 2007, reaching every edition since then and now targeting their 13th appearance at the event overall
Croatia have played the World Championship eight times overall and returned to the tournament in 2021 following a 10-year wait thanks to their surprise bronze medal at the EHF EURO 2020
both teams were disappointed in their EHF EURO 2024 campaigns, as they recorded their lowest rankings in the history of the event — keeping in mind it was the first edition with the expanded number of 24 teams; Spain were 13th and Croatia were 19th
Spain were also 13th at the last World Championship, in 2023, where Croatia placed 14th
Spain have made it to the semi-finals of the World Championship four times, latest in 2021 on home ground, and played the final in 2019
Spain welcome Rapid Bucuresti back Alicia Fernández, who did not play the EHF EURO, back into the fold for the double-header