The Dutch handball women failed to reach the final of the world championship in their own country. In a packed Ahoy Rotterdam, four-time world champion Norway was too strong in the semi-finals: 25-35. The Netherlands never took the lead.
The team of national coach Henrik Signell was on a strong run this tournament and qualified for the main round as undefeated group winners. It then also ended that round as the winner, partly by beating defending champion France. The Dutch team then defeated Hungary in the quarter-finals. In the quarter-finals of the previous World Cup in 2023, it was also Norway that eliminated the Netherlands.
The Dutch team will play the consolation final against France on Sunday at 2:30 PM, which it won earlier in this tournament (26-23). Norway will face Germany in the final. It is the third World Cup in a row that the Norwegian team has reached the final.
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