Handball World Championship 2025: Tough start for African teams

The opening rounds of the 2025 Handball men World Championship have proven challenging for African teams, with Cape Verde, Tunisia, and Algeria suffering defeats on Thursday.

Cape Verde, making their tournament debut in Group G, faced a dominant Iceland at the Arena Zagreb in Croatia. The Blue Sharks struggled to contain their opponents, losing 34-21.

In Group B, both Tunisia and Algeria find themselves in precarious positions after consecutive losses. Algeria succumbed to Italy, 32-23, while Tunisia faced a formidable Danish side, losing 32-21 at the Jyske Bank Boxen.

With both teams winless, their upcoming clash on Saturday at 17:00 GMT holds high stakes, as it will determine who advances to the main round.

Meanwhile, Egypt, Africa’s top contender, looks to build on their positive start in Group H. After defeating Argentina in their first match, the Pharaohs are set to face Bahrain at 17:00 GMT on Friday at the Arena Zagreb.

As the competition heats up, African teams face mounting pressure to turn their fortunes around and keep their hopes alive in the global tournament.