Sweden Eyes First Ever Women's Handball World Championship Medal Amid Cautious Optimism

Sweden's women's handball team is on the brink of a historic breakthrough at the 2025 Women's Handball World Championship, which runs from November 26 to December 14 across Germany and the Netherlands. Despite participating in 12 previous World Championships without winning a medal, the squad enters the tournament with cautious optimism fueled by experience and potential.

The team, known for its exceptional experience with an average of 111 international matches per player, faces a challenging Group G lineup including Brazil, Czech Republic, and Cuba. The championship will start for Sweden against the Czech Republic on November 27, followed by matches against Cuba and Brazil. The advancement format allows the top three teams from each group to proceed to the main round, heightening hopes for Sweden's progression.

Sweden's head coach Tomas Axnér has tempered expectations, emphasizing that the nation is still not ranked among the absolute favorites and must outperform itself to compete with handball powerhouses like Norway, France, and Denmark. However, Axnér noted that the team is closer to achieving a medal than ever before, suggesting a potential end to the long-standing "medal curse." In recent major tournaments, Sweden has frequently placed just shy of the podium, including four fourth-place and five fifth-place finishes in the last six championships.

A notable highlight for the Swedish squad is the milestone opportunity for star player Nathalie Hagman, who may score her 1000th international goal during the championship. Overcoming early career challenges including a stint out of the national team due to her playing style, Hagman expressed a desire to reach this landmark on the world stage rather than in a less prominent match, saying, "It would be fun to do it now in the championship and not in some obscure qualifying match in the spring."

As the tournament unfolds, Sweden aims to build on its vast experience, tactical skill, and the opportunity presented by the favorable group draw. While cautious of the dominant teams, this championship could mark a pivotal moment for Swedish women's handball, both for the team’s medal ambitions and milestones such as Hagman's scoring landmark.