Nine European spots are still open for the IHF Men’s World Championship 2023 – and the road to Poland and Sweden was paved at the draw event of the two upcoming play-off rounds in March and April on Saturday.
At the Budapest Handball Arena, Markus Glaser, Bozidar Djurkovic and Frantisek Taborsky first drew the nine duels for the first stage and then the opponents for the winners of those matches.
Round 1
- Ukraine vs Finland
- Italy vs Slovenia
- Portugal vs Switzerland
- Austria vs Estonia
- Greece vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
- North Macedonia vs Romania
- Israel vs Lithuania
- Slovakia vs Belgium
- Faroe Islands vs Belarus
Round 2
- Winner of Ukraine/Finland vs Croatia
- Winner of Italy/Slovenia vs Serbia
- Winner of Portugal/Switzerland vs Netherlands
- Winner of Austria/Estonia vs Iceland
- Winner of Greece/Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Montenegro
- Czech Republic vs winner of North Macedonia/Romania
- Winner of Israel/Lithuania vs Hungary
- Russia vs winner of Slovakia/Belgium
- Germany vs winner of Faroe Islands/Belarus
The first leg is scheduled for 16-17 March 2022 and the second leg will follow on 19-20 March. The teams drawn first in each pairing will have the home right in the first leg.
The second part of the qualification will also be played in a knock-out format over two legs (13-14 April and 16-17 April). The nine aggregate winners of those play-offs clinch their berth for the World Championship 2023.
Defending champions Denmark as well as co-hosts Sweden and Poland have pre-qualified for the World Championship, together with Spain, France and Norway who booked their straight tickets from the EHF EURO 2022.
The Men’s World Championship 2023 will be carried out with 32 teams in nine venues in Sweden and Poland and will start with the opening match in Katowice on 11 January 2023.
