France has been one of the most successful nations in handball for many years. However, recent tournaments have shown that even the French team cannot always achieve the results it hopes for. At the 2025 World Championship, France reached the semi-finals but suffered a 31:28 defeat against Croatia. The team then secured the bronze medal with a narrow 35:34 victory over Portugal in the third-place match.
At the 2026 European Championship, France's campaign ended after the main round. The team finished fourth in a highly competitive group and missed out on the semi-finals. At the 2027 World Championship, France will be looking to go further. The preliminary round will provide an early indication of the team's form, with France facing Kuwait, Brazil and Argentina in Group D as favourites to finish top of the group.
All three preliminary round matches will take place at the Porsche-Arena in Stuttgart. France will open its campaign against Kuwait on 14 January, followed by Brazil two days later, before completing the preliminary round against Argentina on 18 January.
Only a limited number of tickets are currently still available for the preliminary round matches in the official ticket shop. Fans who want to see France play in front of an even bigger crowd can secure tickets for the main round at the LANXESS arena in Cologne, which has a capacity of almost 20,000 spectators. If France qualifies, the team will play its Group II matches on 21, 23 and 25 January. Tickets for Cologne are available here.
France will enter its opening match against Kuwait as the clear favourite. The two teams already met in the preliminary round of the 2025 World Championship, when France claimed a convincing 43:19 victory. Kuwait demonstrated its strength at continental level by winning bronze at the 2026 Asian Championship, but France will still be heavily favoured to win this encounter.
The second group match against Brazil could prove more challenging. In a friendly match in January 2024, the teams were level at half-time before France eventually secured a 37:28 victory. Since then, Brazil has attracted attention by reaching the quarter-finals of the 2025 World Championship. The team finished seventh after being eliminated by eventual world champions Denmark. France will once again enter the match as favourites but can expect considerably more resistance than in its opening game.
France will conclude the preliminary round against Argentina. The last meeting between the two teams at a major tournament came during the preliminary round of the 2024 Olympic Games. France made an outstanding start, racing into a 7:0 lead within the opening minutes before eventually winning 28:21. Argentina reached the main round of the 2025 World Championship but managed just one victory at that stage, against Cape Verde. However, the team went unbeaten at the 2026 South American Games in Santa Fe to claim gold. France's final preliminary round match is therefore unlikely to be a straightforward task.
France's Squad: Experienced Stars Across All Positions
France's squad is packed with players competing at the highest level of club handball. Almost all of them play for clubs participating in the Champions League. Two FC Barcelona players stand out in particular: right back Dika Mem and team captain Ludovic Fabregas, who plays as a line player.
Mem is one of the key figures in France's attack. Following the World Championship, he will remain at Barcelona for a few more months before joining Füchse Berlin in the summer of 2027. Fabregas brings experience and physical strength to the line. Together, they provide France with exceptional quality in two crucial positions.
Elohim Prandi is another important member of the team. The Paris Saint-Germain left back can make a decisive impact with his powerful shooting and attacking ability. Overall, France has an experienced squad that is familiar with major international tournaments and matches at the highest level.
There has, however, been a change on the sidelines. Following the 2026 European Championship, Guillaume Gille announced his resignation as national team head coach. Talant Dujshebaev has been in charge of the French team since February 2026. The 2027 World Championship will be his first major tournament as France's head coach. Following the team's main round exit at the European Championship, his challenge will be to guide France back into medal contention.
Main Round Showdowns in Cologne
If France reaches the main round, it will face the qualifying teams from Group C in Cologne. That group features Croatia, Spain, Chile and Türkiye.
A potential rematch against Croatia would carry particular significance for France. At the 2025 World Championship, the French suffered a 31:28 semi-final defeat, missing out on a place in the final. Croatia went on to claim silver and underlined its strength by winning bronze at the 2026 European Championship. With experienced players such as Ivan Martinović and Mario Šoštarić, the Croatian team has plenty of quality. A meeting in Cologne could give France the opportunity to avenge its semi-final defeat.
Spain is another potential opponent against whom France has unfinished business. At the 2026 European Championship, Spain managed just one victory in the main round – against France, of all teams. Although Spain was also eliminated after the main round, it remains a dangerous opponent. Should the two teams meet again in Cologne, France will certainly be aware of the challenge ahead.
Chile will also be competing for a place in the main round from Group C. The two nations have never previously faced each other at a major tournament. The South Americans finished 24th at the 2025 World Championship, and France would be the clear favourite in a potential encounter.
Türkiye enters the tournament as an outsider. Having received a wildcard, the team will be making its first appearance at a Handball World Championship. Reaching the main round would already represent a major achievement. The last official meeting with France took place during the qualification campaign for the 2014 European Championship, when the French claimed a 31:23 victory in 2013.
France therefore has a strong chance of winning its preliminary round group in Stuttgart. In the main round, Croatia and Spain could be waiting – two opponents who have inflicted painful defeats on the French team in recent tournaments.
Whatever happens, the main round will present a significant challenge for France and promises top-class handball for fans in Cologne. For the French team and its new head coach Talant Dujshebaev, the 2027 World Championship will be an opportunity to show that France is ready to compete for medals once again.
For more information on the match schedule and tickets, visit handball2027.com.