Three teams have already clinched their spots in the main round at the 2025 IHF women’s World Championship and more can progress to the next phase of the competition when the fourth days throws off in Rotterdam, s’Hertogenbosch, Stuttgart and Trier.
GROUP A
18:00 CET romania vs Japan
Two sides are stepping into this match from fully opposite poles.Romania overcame their early nerves against croatia, turned the flow in their favour and eventually stretched the score into double digits – a win that did more than soothe the opening-day pressure. Yuliya Dumanska’s 41% efficiency between the posts and a defense that shifted gears on command flipped the game early in the second half, and that momentum is now their sharpest weapon. In addition,all players got a feel for the game.
Japan had a tough opening encounter against Denmark, where things quickly started to go awry for them. Their blistering 2:0 start melted into a 13-minute scoring drought,a string of one‑on‑one misses and an attack that never quite found its footing again,ending with 16 turnovers.Still, their two main forces were right back Kaho Nakayama and right wing Natsumi Akiyama, who netted nine times between them.
If Romania impose their rythm and put a rapid stop to japan’s fast flow, they should cruise to their second win and seal their main-round ticket, leaving Japan in a tough position heading into the final round in their ninth meeting at the World Championship. japan hold onyl one win, from 2019, when they prevailed 37:20.
20:30 CET Croatia vs Denmark
Croatia find themselves in a tough spot at the World Championship. They arrived in the Netherlands heavily weakened by injuries, with a young and inexperienced squad. Their hopes of progressing took a hit after the opening defeat to Romania and now comes an even greater challenge: powerhouse Denmark, who will not be in the mood to drop points.
The Croatians are practically in a must‑win situation from now on, yet also in a position where they have to think ahead to the final‑round match against Japan, which may end up deciding their fate. That means smart rotation and damage control will also play a role. Beyond left back Tina Barišić,Croatia struggled heavily in attack,especially in the back‑court line,and found very little space on the line – something that could be even more problematic against Denmark’s strong defence.
On the other side, Denmark opened the world Championship convincingly, claiming a 36:19 win over Japan while rotating the entire squad and boasting one of the top five attacks of the competition so far. Anna Kristensen and Amalie Milling both stood strong between the posts and the attack had strong efficiency on both ends. Helle Thomsen started her road as Denmark coach convincingly.
This will be only the third World Championship meeting between the two sides and Denmark won both previous encounters. Croatia, however, hold two wins over Denmark from the Women’s EHF EURO, including the memorable 25:19 bronze‑medal match in 2020.
GROUP B
18:00 CET Switzerland vs Senegal
Switzerland opened their debut World Championship campaign in style. In the first round they overpowered iran, holding them to just nine goals, while Knut Ove Joa used the occasion to give minutes to every player and let the full squad feel the Maaspoort Arena court.
Ahead of them now is a far more demanding task: Senegal, a team that will not give up easily. Switzerland will need full concentration if they want a second victory – one that would secure their main‑round ticket and keep
Sweden and Angola Aim for Main round Berth at Germany/Netherlands 2025
Here’s a summary of the upcoming matches at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, focusing on Sweden’s and Angola’s opportunities to secure a spot in the main round:
Sweden vs. Cuba (Group G, 18:00 CET)
Sweden enters their match against Cuba as the clear favorite, having secured a hard-fought eight-goal victory in their opening game. While their initial advantage was precarious, a strong finish and an impressive 12 saves from goalkeeper Johanna Bundsen propelled them to success. A win on Saturday will guarantee Tomas Axnér’s team a place in the main round.
The teams have a history at the World Championship, with sweden defeating Cuba by a meaningful margin – 49:25 – at Denmark 2015. Notably, Nathalie Hagman, who remains on the swedish roster, scored 14 goals in that match. https://www.ihf.info/competitions/womens-world-championship/2015/denmark-norway
Cuba, though, is currently at the bottom of the group after a 21-goal loss to Brazil. Despite 14 saves from goalkeeper Niurkis Mora and eight goals from jennifer Toledo, a high number of turnovers (33) proved detrimental to their performance.The match against Sweden is expected to be an even greater challenge.
Angola vs. Republic of Korea (Group H, 18:00 CET)
This match pits Angola, the current African champions, against the Republic of Korea, who recently lost their continental title to Japan. Angola enjoyed a dominant start to their campaign, defeating Kazakhstan 38:20. korea faced a tough opener against the reigning Olympic and european champions, losing 34:19. https://www.ihf.info/competitions/womens-world-championship/2025/germany-netherlands
A win for Angola, coached by Carlos Viver (2019 silver medalist), would secure their advancement to the main round. Korea will be looking for their first victory in the post-Ryu Eun Hee era.
kazakhstan vs. norway (Group H, 20:30 CET)
Norway has a strong historical record against Kazakhstan, winning all three previous encounters by increasing margins: 35:19 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 40:19 at Denmark 2015, and 46:18 at Spain 2021. https://www.ihf.info/competitions/womens-world-championship
Norway is heavily favored in this match. Coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad may use the opportunity to rest key players and experiment with different strategies, including the 7 v 6 offensive approach introduced in their win against Korea.
Kazakhstan will aim to improve upon their performance in their opening match against Angola, where they committed 20 turnovers and recorded only four saves from 42 shots faced.
Note: All times are in Central European Time (CET). The IHF website (https://www.ihf.info/) provides the most up-to-date information on the championship,including schedules,results,and standings.