Qualification phase 1 is expected to be played over 25-27 October 2024, with the 12 lowest-ranked competing sides split into four groups of three teams.
Those 12 teams will be reduced to four, with only the group winners advancing to qualification phase 2, which consists of two-leg play-offs that will decide 11 of Europe’s allocated places at the final tournament in the Netherlands and Germany in November and December next year. Another three places will be determined at the upcoming EHF EURO 2024.
The teams already qualified for phase 2 are Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Montenegro, Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, Czechia, Poland, Serbia, Austria, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Iceland, Slovakia, Portugal, Türkiye and Faroe Islands.
With three of those phase 2 teams sure to book a direct ticket to the World Championship via the EHF EURO, there will be 18 sides left, who will be joined by the four teams progressed from phase 1.
Here is today's phase 1 draw in full:
2025 IHF Women’s World Championship qualification phase 1
GROUP 1
Greece
Lithuania
Great Britain
GROUP 2
Kosovo
Bosnia Herzegovina
Belgium
GROUP 3
Finland
Israel
Estonia
GROUP 4
Italy
Luxembourg
Bulgaria
The draw for the hosting rights also took place, which determined that the teams in row 3 (Great Britain, Belgium, Estonia and Bulgaria) would have first refusal to host their group's matches, with second refusal going to the row 1 teams (Greece, Kosovo, Finland and Italy) and finally row 2.
The draw for phase 2 is scheduled to take place on the final weekend of EHF EURO 2024, on 15 December in Vienna. The first leg of phase 2 will be played on 9/10 April, and the second will take place on 12/13 April 2025.
The 27th IHF Women’s World Championship will be played from 27 November to 14 December 2025, with a total of 32 teams vying for the trophy. France were the title winners in 2023, ahead of runners-up Norway and Denmark, who were bronze medallists.
To watch the draw in full, click the video below, or head to the Home of Handball YouTube channel.
