[Handball Women's Junior National Team] 25th Women's Junior World Championship, Main Round Match 1: Japan Faces Hungary

We sincerely appreciate your continued support.

The 25th IHF Women's Junior (U-20) Handball World Championship began on June 24 in China.

Japan advanced from the preliminary round Group H in first place—an unprecedented achievement for Japan's junior national team category. The competition now moves into the main round, where Japan will face Hungary, who finished second in Group G of the preliminary round, in Main Round Group 4, Match 1. The match starts at 18:30 local time (19:30 Japan time) on June 29.

Facing a major hurdle in pursuit of a top-eight finish

Hungary placed 7th at the 2025 Women's U-19 European Championship, where they defeated Croatia—Japan's opponent on June 27—by a convincing 28–16 in the 7th place match. Among the 18 registered players at this tournament, Hungary's average height is 174.6 cm, significantly taller than Japan's 167.3 cm, highlighting a major physical disparity.

Hungary presents an even tougher challenge than Japan's previous opponents in the preliminary round. Even with preparation, it remains difficult for young players to counter Japan's high-energy, dynamic defense.

If Japan can replicate the performances against the Faroe Islands and Norway—seizing an early lead and dictating the pace—there is a genuine chance of victory.

Since the result against Norway, who finished second in Group H, carries over, a win in this match will secure Japan's place in the top eight (quarterfinal qualification). This is an opportunity Japan must seize at all costs.

The match will begin at 18:30 (19:30 Japan time), consistent with the previous three games.

This crucial top-eight showdown will be streamed live via the IHF (International Handball Federation) official YouTube channel using the link below. Please tune in and support the team.

Main Round Match 1 vs Hungary (June 29 – live stream)

Preliminary Round Match 1 vs Faroe Islands (June 24 – archived)

Preliminary Round Match 2 vs Norway (June 25 – archived) Preliminary Round Match 3 vs Croatia (June 27 – archived)

Tournament Overview

Tournament Name: 25th IHF Women's Junior (U-20) Handball World Championship Dates: June 24 (Wed) – July 5 (Sun), 2026 Host Country: China

[Japan National Team Match Schedule] ■ Main Round Schedule June 29 (Mon) 18:30 (19:30 Japan time) vs Hungary

June 30 (Tue) 16:15 (17:15 Japan time) vs Poland

[Preliminary Round Group Allocation] Group 1: Serbia, France, Austria, Sweden Group 2: Spain, Germany, Romania, South Korea Group 3: Denmark, Montenegro, Czech Republic, China Group 4: Poland, Japan, Hungary, Norway

Tournament Website

Women's U-20 (Junior) National Team Roster