Following the IHF Council decision on the fringe of the 2018 IHF Super Globe in Doha, Qatar on October 18, IHF World Championships will expand to include 32 teams from 2021 onwards. The change will begin with the 27th IHF Men’s World Championship in Egypt, making the event in Germany and Denmark the last senior men’s event that was contested between 24 nations.

 The compulsory and performance places for senior events are distributed as follows from now on.

As is currently the case, the World Championship organiser will be directly qualified, along with the reigning world champions. In the case that there is more than one organiser, the number of compulsory places (outlined below) for the organisers’ continent will be reduced. In addition, there will be 12 performance places for the Continental Confederations, which are based on the teams ranked 1-12 of the preceding World Championship.

 

The compulsory places awarded to each Continental Confederation will be divided as follows: four places each for Africa, Asia, Europe and Pan America. Within Pan America, one place is available for the North America and Caribbean Zone, while three are allocated to the South and Central America Zone.

 

One additional place is available for Oceania, but only in the case where that national team ranks fifth or higher at the Asian Championship. If no Oceania team places among the top five at the Asian Championship, the IHF will award a Wild Card.

 

In order to guarantee the quality of the World Championship, the IHF shall evaluate the distribution of compulsory places following each event. The IHF shall have the right to amend the compulsory places for the next-but-one edition of the World Championship. For example, any subsequent amendments from evaluation of the 2021 World Championship will apply from 2023.

 

2021 IHF Men’s World Championship

 

For the 2021 Men’s World Championship in Egypt, 2019 world champions Denmark and the host nation are already qualified. According to the new rules and taking into consideration the results of the 2019 Men’s World Championship, the remaining 30 places are distributed as follows:

 

Africa: 6

Asia: 4

Europe: 13

Pan America: 5 (1 for the North America and the Caribbean Zone and 4 for the South and Central America Zone)

Oceania: One additional place is available for Oceania, but only in the case where that national team ranks fifth or higher at the Asian Championship. If no Oceania team places among the top five at the Asian Championship, the IHF will award a Wild Card.

Wild Card: awarded by the IHF