Women’s Handball World Cup: Les Bleues for history, new format, favorites… What you need to know before – Franceinfo

Five months after the Olympic Games, it’s already time for a new big meeting on the planet of handball. The best selections in the world meet in Spain for the Women’s World Championship, two years after the last edition won by the Netherlands.

From host cities to the new competition format, including the composition of the France group, franceinfo: sports takes stock of the information to know.

Thirty-two teams for a new format

This year the competition has been extended to 32 qualified teams, instead of 24, as it has been so far. This expansion involved a small overhaul of the tournament format, which now takes place on the same model as for the men.

It begins with a preliminary round, with eight groups of four teams. The first three qualify for the main round, made up of four groups of six teams. The selections which finish in the first two places of each group will play the final phase, which will begin with quarter-finals.

Favorite Netherlands, France and Russia

Several European selections act as favorites before the start of the competition. France and Russia, the last two Olympic finalists, will be expected at the turn, as will the Dutch title holders. Spain, finalist in 2019, and who plays at home, will also be able to do well. Sweden and Norway, strongholds of European handball, will also be to watch.

In the preliminary round, France, the reigning Olympic champion, fell with Angola, Montenegro and Slovenia. In the event of qualification for the main round, the French would find the teams from group B, the seed of which is Russia, an unfortunate Olympic finalist.

A core of Olympic champions to carry France

Olivier Krumbholz unveiled his list of 18 players on Monday, November 29. Twelve of them were part of the Japanese adventure this summer, including executives Cléopatre Darleux, Allison Pineau, Béatrice Hedwige, and Estelle Nze Minko.

The 1️⃣ 8️⃣ that will fly this Tuesday for the 2021 IHF World Cup in Spain!

Competition begins ➡️ Friday against Angola!#BlueberryProud pic.twitter.com/NYPJxz3W5a

– French Handball teams (@FRAHandball) November 29, 2021

The coach of the France team also chose to do without Pauline Coatanéa and Orlane Ahanda, who had done the preparation with the group. Reigning Olympic champions, the Blue will defend their status and aim for a third planetary consecration, after 2003 and 2017.

In history, only the girls of the USSR (1980 Olympics, 1982 World Cup) and those of Denmark (1996 Olympics and 1997 World Cup) achieved the Olympics-World Cup double in that order (the Norwegians had been crowned at the 2011 World Cup before. to be at the 2012 Olympics). The daughters of Olivier Krumbholz would then imitate their male counterparts, crowned in Beijing in 2008 and at the 2009 World Cup in Croatia.

Four cities in Spain host the tournament

The competition takes place from December 1 to 19, in Spain, in four cities in the communities of Valencia and Catalonia: Torrevieja, Castello, Lliria and Granollers. The latter will host the three matches of the France team for the preliminary round. This is scheduled until December 7. From 8 to 13, it’s time for the main round, and the kickoff for the final phase will be on December 14.

Hosts of the 25th IHF Women’s World Championship and runners-up at the previous edition @rfebalonmano present a great mix of youth and experience and want to perform at their best on home ground # Spain2021 #sheloveshandball

Read more https://t.co/mf6fYikofY

– International Handball Federation (@ihf_info) November 29, 2021

Meetings broadcast on BeIN Sports and sometimes TMC

The entire competition will be visible on the channels of BeIN Sports, which has acquired the broadcasting rights. Some matches of the France team will also be broadcast in clear on TMC. This is the case of the preliminary round meeting against Slovenia on December 5, as well as any quarter and half of the Blue. The final will be visible on TF1, if the French women participate.