Co-host Norway started the main round of the 2025 Handball World Cup with a win and thus preserved its chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
Jonas Wille’s team beat Spain 25:24 (10:13) in the capital Oslo. In Group III, Norway is now one point behind the two-time world champions, who lost for the first time and missed out on top of the table.
Beforehand, Portugal had taken the lead after a thriller against four-time champion Sweden. Coach Paulo Pereira’s team won 37:37 (18:18) and remained on course for the quarterfinals. The Swedes have not lost yet and are four points behind Portugal. It was Sweden’s second draw in their fourth World Cup game. In the end, Portugal lost their first point at this World Cup.
Meanwhile, co-hosts Croatia, world champions in 2003, celebrated a sweeping victory in Group IV. Former DHB coach Dagur Sigurdsson’s team won 44:22 (24:11) against Cape Verde, which is only taking part in a World Cup for the third time.
The Icelander was on the German sidelines from 2014 to 2017 and won the European Championship title and the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in 2016. Sigurdsson was previously coach at Bundesliga club Füchse Berlin (2009 to 2015). Germany doesn’t have to play against Italy again until Thursday (6 p.m./ZDF).