Sweden Drawn Into Tough Group for 2027 Handball World Championship

Sweden's men's handball team faces a challenging group stage in the 2027 World Championship, drawn alongside Norway, Greece, and Qatar in Group E. The group matches will be held in Kiel, Germany, with the tournament running from January 13 to 31, 2027. The top three teams from this group will advance to the main round in Hannover, where they may encounter teams from Group F, including Algeria, the Faroe Islands, Poland, and Portugal.

Head coach Michael Apelgren acknowledged the difficulty of the draw, stating, "It could have been both easier and harder, but now we know what we have to deal with." He highlighted the significance of facing Norway, noting its strong handball tradition and expressing excitement about meeting them in Kiel. Norway's squad features newly appointed head coach Magnus Andersson, who will directly oppose Apelgren in the group stage.

Apelgren also recognized Qatar's reputation as a strong team with notable past performances, and Greece's impressive qualification run, which included eliminating the Netherlands. Reflecting on Sweden's recent tournaments, he noted disappointing results, including a 14th place finish at the 2025 World Championship and 6th at the recent European Championship.

Meanwhile, reigning world champions Denmark are in a separate group, competing against Angola, Slovenia, and the USA. Sweden's path in this group poses a significant challenge as they aim to advance to the main round and improve upon recent performances.