[Handball] Announcement of Group Draw for the 25th IHF Women's Junior (U-20) World Championship

The Japan Handball Association is pleased to announce the group draw for the "25th IHF Women's Junior (U-20) Handball World Championship" to be held in China from June 24, 2026.

A total of 32 countries and regions will participate in this tournament. The Women's U-20 Japan National Team has been placed in Group H, alongside Croatia, who finished 8th in the 2025 U-19 European Championship, and Norway, who finished 14th. Japan, entering this tournament as the champions of the Junior Asian Championship, will compete in Group H with the aim of advancing beyond the preliminary round.

Regarding the "TBD (To Be Determined)" slot in Group H, a replacement team will be decided later in accordance with IHF competition rules, following Australia's withdrawal.

Group Allocation

Group A: France, Egypt, Sweden, India Group B: Austria, Serbia, Angola, Paraguay Group C: Germany, Romania, Brazil, Canada Group D: Spain, South Korea, Argentina, Turkey Group E: Denmark, China, Guinea, IHF Trophy Slot Group F: Montenegro, Czech Republic, Iceland, USA Group G: Hungary, Poland, Chinese Taipei, Tunisia Group H: Croatia, Japan, Norway, TBD

Tournament Outline

Tournament Name: 25th IHF Women's Junior (U-20) Handball World Championship Period: June 24 (Wednesday) - July 5 (Sunday), 2026 Host Country: China

The Women's U-20 Japan National Team will fully commence its strengthening activities for this tournament, starting with the first training camp from April 1. We will work on strengthening the team with the aim of achieving a high ranking on the world stage.

1st Training Camp Members >

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