The IHF has completed the field for the 2027 Men’s World Championship by awarding the tournament’s two wild cards to Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. The decision is already raising eyebrows across European handball, with several higher-ranked nations left on the outside looking in.
The International Handball Federation (IHF) has confirmed that Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have received the two available wild cards for the 2027 Men’s World Championship in Germany. The decision completes the 32-team line-up for the tournament, with the draw scheduled to take place in Munich on 10 June.
According to the IHF, the selection process considers not only sporting results but also each federation’s contribution to the growth and development of handball globally. The governing body received 13 applications for the two remaining spots.
Türkiye will make its World Championship debut after securing one of the wild cards. The IHF highlighted the country’s growing investment in handball as well as the large Turkish community in Germany, where the championship will be played.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, will make its 11th World Championship appearance. The Asian nation last participated in 2023 and was selected based on its role in the continued development of handball in the region.
Controversial decision
However, the decision is likely to prove controversial.
Among the teams missing out are several established European nations, including Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Czechia. All five teams reached the final qualification stage and would arguably have strengthened the overall sporting level of the tournament.
The choice is particularly striking given the strength of the European qualification pathway. While countries such as Faroe Islands, Italy, Greece and North Macedonia secured qualification on the court, several other competitive European sides were eliminated in the final play-off round and subsequently forced to rely on the wild-card process.
Instead, the IHF opted to prioritize broader development goals over sporting merit alone.
With the final line-up now confirmed, attention turns to Wednesday’s draw, where reigning world champions Denmark headline Pot 1 alongside hosts Germany, Croatia, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Egypt and Argentina.