From 13 to 31 January 2027, the biggest event in international handball returns: the IHF Men’s World Championship will take place in Germany. It will already be the 30th edition of the tournament. Over the years, numerous teams, coaches and players have set remarkable records, earning their place in handball history. A perfect occasion to take a closer look at their achievements.

A new attendance record in sight for the future record host

Handball continues to captivate the masses in Germany. Ticket sales for the 2027 World Championship underline this trend: around nine months before the start of the tournament, more than 180,000 tickets have already been sold. If demand continues at this pace, a new attendance record could be set.

Matches in 2027 will be played in the following six venues:

• SAP Garden Munich (10,299 capacity)  
• Porsche-Arena Stuttgart (6,200)  
• Merkur Ostseehalle Kiel (10,250)  
• GETEC Arena Magdeburg (6,500)  
• ZAG Arena Hanover (10,000)  
• LANXESS Arena Cologne (19,250)  

With full capacity across all matches, more than 1.2 million spectators could attend the tournament. The current record stands at just over 900,000, set during the 2019 World Championship in Germany and Denmark.

However, the record for the highest attendance at a single match will remain untouched. During the 2017 World Championship, several matches in Lille’s Stade Pierre-Mauroy were attended by 28,010 spectators. The largest venue in 2027, the LANXESS Arena, holds 19,250.

Another impressive attendance record was set just last year: 22,150 fans watched the quarter-final between Spain and hosts Egypt at the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship 2025 in Cairo – the best-attended youth match in history.

Germany will, however, equal the record for most World Championship hostings. Since its founding in 1949, the German Handball Federation (DHB) has hosted four tournaments – 2027 will be its fifth, tying Sweden. By 2029, Germany is set to take sole possession of the record when it co-hosts the tournament with France.

The question of the greatest golden generation

Germany and Sweden also share the record for most participations, having appeared in 27 of the 29 tournaments to date. Both nations will make their 28th appearance in 2027. Germany qualifies as host, while Sweden secured its spot with a sixth-place finish at the EHF EURO 2026.

Germany only missed the tournaments in 1990 and 1997, Sweden in 2007 and 2013. The best qualification rate belongs to Switzerland – albeit in field handball, where they participated in all seven editions.

However, the most appearances do not necessarily mean the most success. France leads the all-time rankings:

• 25 appearances  
• 15 semi-final appearances  
• 5 bronze medals  
• 2 silver medals  
• 6 gold medals  

France has reached the semi-finals in 60% of its appearances – a record unmatched by any other nation. Since 2001, they have missed only one semi-final.

Sweden comes close, with 15 semi-final appearances in 27 tournaments and a total of 12 medals (four gold, four silver, four bronze). Half of these were won during the dominant “Bengan Boys” era in the 1990s.

Romania enjoyed its golden age even earlier. The team won four titles (1961, 1964, 1970, 1974) and added two bronze medals. Remarkably, they achieved this in just 14 appearances, resulting in a win rate of 28.6% – the highest in history.

In recent years, Denmark has set new standards. The team has won the last four World Championships – a record unmatched in history – and remains unbeaten in 37 matches across those tournaments. Their medal collection also includes three silver and one bronze medal.

Denmark holds several additional records, including the highest-scoring match: a 42:41 victory after extra time against Iceland in 2007. Their 330 goals at the most recent World Championship also set a new benchmark. However, they also hold an unwanted record: their 35:19 loss to Spain in the 2013 final is the heaviest defeat in a World Championship final.

The biggest win in history belongs to Germany, which defeated Luxembourg 46:4 in 1958. Luxembourg’s goal difference of -108 after three group matches may also be a negative record.

Record players – a who’s who of handball

A key figure in Denmark’s success has been three-time World Player of the Year Mikkel Hansen. With 351 goals, he is the all-time top scorer in World Championship history. He also won the tournament’s top scorer award twice (2011 and 2019).

Denmark’s new superstar Mathias Gidsel has followed in his footsteps, winning the top scorer title in 2023 and defending it in 2025 – a feat last achieved by South Korea’s Kyung-Shin Yoon (1993, 1995, 1997).

The record for most goals in a single tournament, however, belongs to Kiril Lazarov, who scored 92 goals in 2009 – an average of 10.2 per match.

Mikkel Hansen also features prominently in All-Star Team selections, with five nominations – a record he shares with Nikola Karabatić. Hansen’s standout year came in 2021, when he was named both best left back and MVP. He is also the only player to have won the MVP award three times. Players such as Stefan Lövgren, Nikola Karabatić, Jackson Richardson and Ivano Balić have each won it twice.

Another remarkable achievement belongs to Eduard Koksharov, who was named to the All-Star Team in four consecutive tournaments between 2001 and 2007.

France leads the All-Star rankings with 23 selections. They also boast the most decorated player in history: goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer, who won five gold and two bronze medals. He is joined by other legends of the French golden generation, including Nikola Karabatić, Jérôme Fernandez, Daniel Narcisse and Michaël Guigou.

However, one player is on track to surpass many of these records: Mathias Gidsel. The Danish star has dominated recent years, winning World Player of the Year three times in a row by 2025. Even more impressively, he was both top scorer and MVP at the most recent EHF EURO, World Championship and Olympic Games. It seems only a matter of time before he matches – or surpasses – all individual records.

The architects of success

The most successful coaches in World Championship history are closely linked to the most dominant teams. Niculae Nedeff led Romania to four world titles, while Nikolaj Jacobsen is responsible for Denmark’s recent dominance.

The coach with the most medals, however, is Sweden’s Bengt Johansson. His legendary “Bengan Boys” won each type of medal twice between 1990 and 2001. France’s Claude Onesta follows with five medals, having led the golden generation to three gold and two silver medals. He was also the first coach to hold all three major titles – European, World and Olympic champion – simultaneously, achieving this in 2010 and 2015. Nikolaj Jacobsen matched this feat with Denmark after winning the EHF EURO 2026.

Interestingly, none of these coaches won the World Championship as players. Only two individuals have achieved success both as player and coach: Heiner Brand and Didier Dinart.

Talant Dujshebaev could be the next. He won the World Championship as a player in 1993 with Spain and now leads the French national team.

Images: Lobeca/Klahn