Dear handball friends all over the world, Over the past couple of years we could watch more and more women’s teams bridging the gap to the top handball nations and in 2017 we are, again, looking forward to a thrilling world championship. Ten years after the Men’s World Championship, Germany organises the 23rd Women’s World Championship and they are eager to make this event another huge success. The world’s best 24 women’s teams gather in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Trier, Oldenburg, Leipzig, Magdeburg and Hamburg to compete for the title of World Champions. Of course reigning world and European champions Norway are among the favourites again but year after year the competition gets tougher and thrilling matches are guaranteed. Germany seem to excel on home ground as the women’s team claimed three of their overall five World and European Championship medals in Germany and their men’s team even won the 2007 World Championship – and they want to use their home field advantage again. The 2017 Women’s World Championship will bring handball again in the spotlight of fans, sponsors and media and I hope that it is another great step for the promotion and development of handball not only in Germany, but all over the world.