Alfred Gislason will remain national coach beyond the home World Cup. The German Handball Association (DHB) has extended the contract with the Icelander, which expires next year, until 2028, as the association announced on Friday.
After the home World Cup in 2027 (January 13th to 31st), Gislason will also look after the German men’s team with a possible participation in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Gislason: “History is far from being told”
“Being national coach of the German national handball team is more than a job – I experience that at every home game like the last time with 19,750 fans in Cologne,” said Gislason: “It was my mission to renew the national team. We have succeeded. I am grateful for the trust that I have been able to continue this work until 2028. And I am convinced that I can take the final step with our players: the silver medals at the 2024 Olympic Games and the 2026 European Championships motivate us all. Our story is far from being told.”
For DHB sports director Ingo Meckes, Gislason is “not only an impressive coach, but also a reliable person in every respect.” DHB President Andreas Michelmann praised the veteran trainer as a “rock in the surf”.
Olympic and European Championship silver under Gislason
During Gislason’s tenure since 2020, the DHB team won Olympic silver two years ago in Paris and European Championship silver last January – in the finals they suffered clear defeats, both against Denmark. Recently there have been repeated discussions about a possible replacement for the 66-year-old after the home World Cup.
Gislason had recently confirmed his desire to continue working with the team beyond the tournament. Meckes emphasized in mid-March that they did not want to be put under pressure when making the decision, but pointed out that there had to be clarity before the start of the World Cup at the latest. “We are weighing up all options,” the sports director said.
