Iceland Clinches 2027 World Handball Championship Spot

2026-01-29 - 12:52

Iceland’s men’s national handball team has secured qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship after advancing to the semi-finals of the Men’s EHF EURO 2026 in Malmö, Sweden. In their decisive main-round match, Iceland beat Slovenia 39–31, a result that confirmed their place in the tournament’s final four. What's the Story? Iceland through to 2027 Men’s Handball World Championship by reaching European semi-finals Semi-final match against Denmark at 19:30 in Herning World Championship qualification normally decided via two-leg European play-offs Iceland beat Estonia in play-offs for the 2025 World Championship Last missed World Championship in 2009 after play-off defeat to Macedonia Qualified by Victory As RÚV reports, reaching the semi-final stage of the European Championship automatically qualifies a team for the World Championship in Germany in 2027. This marks one of Iceland’s strongest performances in recent years, placing them among Europe’s top teams. The squad’s progress continues from earlier key results in the championship, including competitive matches against other leading nations. Iceland’s advancement reflects consistent play through the tournament’s main round, avoiding the usual World Championship play-off stage where lower-ranked European teams must compete over two legs to secure qualification. The team will now contest the semi-finals, where they face one of the other top four teams from the EHF EURO 2026 bracket. Iceland are set to face Denmark in the semi-finals of the Men’s European Handball Championship, with the match scheduled for 19:30 in Herning, where the Danish team will have home advantage.