Start of the Handball World Championship
Bundesliga star leads top favorite to landslide victory
January 14, 2025 – 10:29 p.mReading time: 1 min.

Denmark began its title defense with a shooting festival. The main role was played by a professional from the Bundesliga. The European champions also got off to an impressive start.
Co-hosts Denmark got off to a strong start at the Handball World Cup and impressively confirmed their role as favorites.
The defending champion clearly dominated Algeria in Herning with 47:22 (20:11). Superstar Mathias Gidsel, who plays for Füchse Berlin in the Bundesliga, shone with ten goals and led his team to the top of Group B.
The Danes are aiming for their fourth title in a row after their World Cup triumphs in 2019, 2021 and 2023. Directly behind them is World Cup debutant Italy, who played surprisingly well with a 32:25 (17:11) win against Tunisia and secured a good chance of advancing.
European champions France also left no doubt about their class. In Porec, coach Guillaume Gille’s team beat Qatar with 37:19 (18:10). The seven-time world champion competed without his injured backcourt star Dika Mem, but impressed with a unified team performance.
In Group C, France will next face Austria and Kuwait – tasks that the European champions can take on calmly.
The German team starts the tournament on Wednesday (8.30 p.m. in the t-online live ticker). National coach Alfred Gislason’s team is playing against Poland in Group A in Herning. Other opponents in the preliminary round are Switzerland and the Czech Republic.