The most important thing about the World Cup
“The first final”: Handball team opens medal hunt
The German handball players will play their first World Cup game against Poland this evening. How big is the chance of winning a medal and what shape is the DHB team in? Questions and answers about the Handball World Cup.
The wait is over. Germany’s handball players start the World Cup against Poland this evening (8.30 p.m./ARD/Sportdeutschland.TV). The team of national coach Alfred Gislason is the clear favorite, but has to improve compared to their friendly win against Brazil. “This will be the first final,” announced the Icelander. One thing is clear: Olympic silver should not have been a slip-up. The goal is the first World Cup medal since the title in 2007.
The World Cup is hosted by three countries and takes place in Denmark, Norway and Croatia. Germany will play its preliminary and main round games in Herning, Denmark. Oslo and the Croatian cities of Zagreb, Varazdin and Porec are also among the venues. If the DHB team reaches the knockout round, it continues in Oslo, where the medals will also be awarded on the final weekend.
How is the tournament mode?
In the preliminary round, the 32 participating teams are divided into eight groups of four teams each. The three best teams move into the main round and take with them the points they won against nations that also qualified. In the second phase of the tournament there are four groups of six – the two best teams qualify for the quarter-finals.
Who will Germany face in the preliminary round?
Two days after the duel with Poland we face Switzerland, who were clearly defeated at the start of the European Championship and in November in the European Championship qualification. The Czech Republic awaits at the end of the preliminary round on January 19th. “If we don’t finish first in the group in this preliminary round, then something will go very wrong,” said handball icon Stefan Kretzschmar. If they advance, the DHB team will play in the main round against the three best teams from preliminary group B (Italy, Tunisia, Denmark and Algeria).
What shape is the DHB team in?
The German handball players are still far from being in their Olympic condition. On the contrary: the hard-fought test victories against Brazil, with some catastrophic exploitation of opportunities, were a warning shot. There was a lack of intensity, coordination and precision. “That’s why I’m worried,” Gislason admitted. In order to compete for medals at the World Cup, you need a drastic increase in performance.
Who is part of the DHB selection squad?
After the injury-related absences of Sebastian Heymann and Jannik Kohlbacher, there are still twelve Olympic heroes in the World Cup squad, which is led by captain Johannes Golla. The veterans include new dad Andreas Wolff, left winger Rune Dahmke and Christoph Steinert. As always, many hopes rest on Juri Knorr and of course on backcourt ace Renars Uscins. Franz Semper will be out against Poland due to muscular problems.
Where can you watch the games?
The games of the DHB selection can be seen live on ARD or ZDF. Both channels alternate. Fans can follow the broadcasts on television and live stream. The Handball World Cup can only be seen in its entirety for a fee on Sportdeutschland.TV. The streaming platform shows all 96 games live. In addition, Eurosport broadcasts some games without German participation on free TV.
World champion and Olympic champion Denmark and world handball player Mathias Gidsel is the top favorite for the title. European champions France, who lost to Germany at the Olympics in a game of the century, and the Swedes are also among the hot medal candidates. Spain and its co-hosts Croatia and Norway can be expected to surprise. The DHB team’s minimum goal is to reach the quarter-finals.
dpa
Source: Stern

I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.