For now, the ball is still at rest inside Stuttgart’s Porsche-Arena. But in less than six months, the world’s biggest handball event will arrive: the IHF Men’s World Championship 2027. Preparations are in full swing. The host venues have long been confirmed, and the draw in June determined the preliminary round groups.

The usual favourites, Denmark and France, once again lead the list of title contenders. But which teams could spring a surprise and become dangerous outsiders? Group B may well provide the answer.

Four Emerging Handball Nations ready to make their mark

When discussing potential surprise teams at a World Championship, Egypt inevitably comes to mind. The Pharaohs have dominated African handball for years, winning the last four African Championships.

Under world-class head coach Xavier Pascual, Egypt has been chasing a place in the World Championship semi-finals for years. They reached the last four only once, in 2001. At each of the last four World Championships, however, their journey ended in the quarter-finals. The most painful elimination came in 2021, when they lost to eventual champions Denmark in a dramatic penalty shootout.

Those performances demonstrate just how small the gap to the world's elite has become. The quality of Egypt’s squad also fuels optimism. Ahmed Hesham and Yehia El-Deraa are key players at One Veszprém, while Yahia Omar stars for Paris Saint-Germain. Hesham and El-Deraa even work under Xavier Pascual at club level. Together, they now hope to guide Egypt into the semi-finals of the IHF Men’s World Championship 2027.

While Egypt has long been considered an outsider among the favourites, Italy is only beginning to build that reputation. Bob Hanning’s side is certainly moving in the right direction.

Italian handball has made significant progress since Hanning took over as head coach in 2025. That same year, Italy qualified for its first World Championship since 1997. During this year’s qualification campaign, the Italians stunned neighbours Switzerland in one of the biggest surprises of the European play-offs.

Much of that success has been driven by the Mengon brothers. Marco and Simone operate at left back and centre back respectively. Both play for TVB Stuttgart and know the Porsche-Arena better than anyone. The brothers are renowned for their explosive one-on-one ability, a key element of Hanning’s tactical philosophy. Combined with an aggressive, high-pressure defence, Italy hopes to trouble several favourites in January.

Cape Verde occupies a similar position in African handball. The small island nation has developed impressively over recent years. It made its African Championship debut only in 2020 before immediately winning silver two years later. Two further semi-final appearances followed.

Cape Verde has also improved steadily at World Championships. Their debut in 2021 ended in last place, but in both 2023 and 2025 they reached the Main Round, ultimately finishing 23rd on each occasion. At the most recent tournament, they pushed both Argentina and Egypt close before narrowly losing.

In January, they will once again face Egypt. Coach Ljubomir Obradović’s team hopes this time the result will go their way. A victory over either Egypt or Italy would represent another major surprise.

Saudi Arabia also arrives in Group B determined to upset expectations. The team received one of the two IHF wildcards for the tournament. In explaining its decision, the IHF described Saudi Arabia as “one of the leading nations in the development of handball in Asia.”

Alongside Italy and Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia represents another rapidly improving handball nation. Yet this will already be the country’s eleventh World Championship appearance. Their best result remains 19th place in 2013.

To surpass that achievement, Saudi Arabia will almost certainly need at least one preliminary round victory. Given the competitiveness of Group B, a second win is not beyond the realms of possibility. The matches against Cape Verde and Italy, in particular, offer genuine opportunities to surprise.

The fixture list therefore promises plenty of excitement in Stuttgart.

Matchday Three Could Be Decisive

Group B gets underway on 13 January at 18:00 with Italy facing Saudi Arabia. Egypt then meets Cape Verde at 20:30.

Especially in the opening round, both Italy and Egypt will need to be fully focused. Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde will arrive full of confidence and eager to produce the tournament’s first upset. Fans can expect passionate, hard-fought contests.

If the surprises do not materialise on the opening day, another opportunity follows two days later.

Saudi Arabia once again opens the day's programme at 18:00, this time against Egypt. Italy then faces Cape Verde in the evening match at 20:30.

Should the favourites prevail in both fixtures, the final matchday would produce a fascinating conclusion.

On 17 January at 18:00, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia could battle directly for a place in the Main Round. Italy and Egypt would then meet at 20:30 to decide top spot in the group.

Beyond winning the group, the victory would also carry two valuable points into the Main Round—an important advantage in the race for the quarter-finals.

Spectators inside the Porsche-Arena can therefore look forward to surprise victories, a thrilling battle for first place—or perhaps both. Click here for the schedule.

A Venue with rich Handball Tradition

While fans can expect exciting matches, the players can also look forward to competing in one of Germany’s most modern arenas.

Marco and Simone Mengon know exactly what the Stuttgart crowd is capable of creating during TVB Stuttgart home matches. Time and again, that atmosphere has inspired the club to upset some of the biggest teams in the Bundesliga—a promising omen for Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.

Yet the Porsche-Arena's connection with handball extends far beyond TVB Stuttgart.

The venue already hosted matches at the 2007 World Championship. In subsequent years, Bundesliga club FRISCH AUF! Göppingen occasionally played home matches there, as did women’s Bundesliga side TuS Metzingen. In 2016, Metzingen even set a new attendance record for the Women's Handball Bundesliga inside the arena.

The German Handball Federation (DHB) also has fond memories of the venue, having staged numerous international matches there over the years.

Twenty years after the 2007 World Championship, the tournament returns to Stuttgart in January 2027.Fans attending Group B can therefore look forward to first-class handball in an arena steeped in tradition—and perhaps witness another memorable competition in Stuttgart. 

Images: Sascha Klahn/ Kenny Beele