2023 World Women's Handball Championship quarter-finals preview: Full schedule and how to watch
The battle for an Olympic quota spot for Paris 2024 is on at the Women's World Championship, as the quarter-finals are taking place on 12-13 December. Discover the teams, schedule and how to watch below.
Handball
The quarter-finals are set at the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship.
Eight teams are left fighting for the world title and a ticket for Paris 2024.
The most prestigious handball tournament in the calendar continues with the quarter-finals on 12 and 13 December.
Trondheim in Norway and Herning in Denmark will host two games each.
Find the matchups, schedule, and how to watch the live action below.
France captain Estelle Nze Minko was decisive in the win over reigning champions Norway.
2023 World Women's Handball Championship quarter-finals: Fixtures
France vs. Czechia
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions of France remain unbeaten at the World Championship. They are the clear favourites against the big surprise of the tournament Czechia that have advanced to the quarter-finals for the only second time in history.
After a shaky first match, where the African champions Angola almost tied with the French, they haven't looked back.
The 24-23 victory over Norway in their final match of the main round emphasised that the Olympic champions are among the top contenders.
Coach Olivier Krumbholz has rotated a lot in the first games of the tournament to make sure his players are rested for the knockout stage.
Captain Estelle Nze Minko and top scorer in the Olympic final, Pauletta Foppa, have performed at their highest level.
Goalkeeper Laura Glauser made several impressive saves against Norway and made sure the French are not missing the normal first choice Cléopatre Darleux, who is out through concussion.
Czechia were the surprising runner-up behind the Netherlands in group IV booking a spot in the quarter-finals ahead of 2013 world champions Brazil and Spain.
The Czech team are the clear underdogs, but in their eight-goal win over Spain, they showed that they should not be underestimated.
Marketa Jerabkova is the second most scoring player of the competition so far having scored 46 times. The two-time Champions League winner has been one of the best players in the main round and can cause the French defence problems.
If Czechia manage to beat France it will be the first time ever the country makes it to the last four.
Angela Malestein is top scorer for the Netherlands.
Norway vs. Netherlands
A thriller is expected between the reigning world champions and the 2019 world champions.
Norway had cruised through the tournament, until they suffered their first loss to France.
Led by captain Stine Oftedal, 2022 European Championship top scorer Nora Mørk and 2022 European Championship MVP Henny Reistad, the Norwegians have impressed by winning all their games with at least ten goals before facing the Olympic champions.
Goalkeeper Silje Solberg, who has just returned after pregnancy, currently has one of the highest save efficiencies in the tournament on 45.3%.
In the quarter-finals, they have the advantage of playing on home soil in Trondheim.
At the last World Championship in 2021, Norway and the Neterlands also face each other, where Norway won 37-34.
The Netherlands completed a clean sweep both in the preliminary and main round defeating Brazil and Spain by eight goals.
With 218 goals in the first six games of the tournament, the Dutch are the most scoring team, having scored three goals more than their quarter-final opponent.
Bo van Wetering and Angela Malestein are the team’s top scorers on 28 goals.
Zoë Sprengers was shining in the final game of the main round baggin six goals and earning the player of the match award.
Thanks to goalkeeper Yara Ten Holte and a strong defence led by Kelly Dulfer, the Netherlands have also looked strong in the back.
Sweden's Nathalie Hagman was the most scoring player at the 2021 World Championship.
Sweden vs. Germany
Sweden also have a flawless record before the quarter-finals taking six wins in six matches. They have enjoyed the advantage of playing in front of their home crowd up until now but will travel to Denmark to face the German outsiders.
Jamina Roberts and Nathalie Hagman are leading the Swedish goal scoring charts, and they will be looking to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2017.
In their last five meeting, Sweden have four wins and hold the upper hand against the Germans.
Germany began the tournament with five consecutive wins, before the hosts of Denmark stopped their winning streak in the last main round match.
Xenia Smits saved her team in the final second against Japan to secure an important victory and is the German’s top assist maker.
Antje Döll is the team’s top scorer and thankfully for Germany Alina Grijseels was back playing against Denmark after missing the encounter with Poland.
The last time Germany won a medal at the World Championship was in 2007. They will aim to end their 16-year medal drought at their Danish neighbours.
Anne Mette Hansen was awarded player of the match against Germany.
Denmark vs. Montenegro
Hosts Denmark suffered an unexpected loss to Japan in the main round, but bounced back with a hard-fought win over Germany.
The 2022 European Championship silver medallists dream about winning the world title in front of their fans, but Montenegro will be hoping to put a spanner in the works.
In the Győri star Line Haugsted, the Danes have one of the best defensive players in the world. Metz duo Kristina Jørgensen and Anne Mette Hansen have enjoyed a great season In France and taken charge in the Danish attack.
Denmark claimed a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championship and a silver medal at last year’s European Championship but have not won the world title in 26 years.
Following their third place at the 2022 European Championship, Montenegro will be eager to claim another championship medal.
The Balkan side are guided by legend Bojana Popovic, who won Olympic silver in 2012 and has six Champions League titles on her resume.
Despite having lost to both Sweden and Croatia in the main round, the Montenegrins collected enough points to follow Sweden into the quarter-finals.
Playmaker Matea Pletikosic is the leading assist maker in the tournament, while Dijana Mugosa is the team’s top scorer on 29 goals.
Montenegro will be without goalkeeper Marta Batinovic, who tore her ACL against Croatia after having recorded a 51.2% save efficiency, but Marina Rajcic has proved to be a good replacement.
All the pressure is on the Danish home team, whereas the 'Golden lionesses' from Balkan have nothing to lose.
Olympic silver medallist Bojana Popovic is the coach of Montenegro.
2023 World Women's Handball Championship quarter-finals: Schedule
All times of the quarter-finals are in CET (UTC+1).
12 December
- 17:30: France vs. Czechia
- 20:30: Netherlands vs. Norway
13 December
- 17:30 Sweden vs. Germany
- 20:30: Denmark vs. Montenegro
How to watch the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship quarter-finals
The 2023 World Women's Handball Championship quarter-finals will be shown live around the world. Here is a list of the official broadcast and digital live streaming partners across different territories.
- Angola - Girassol TV
- Argentina - TYC Sports
- Austria - ORF
- Bosnia Herzegovina - Arenasport
- Brazil - Zapping
- Cameroon - tbc
- Caribbean - DirecTV
- Chile - tbc
- Colombia - DirecTV
- Croatia - RTL
- Czech Republic - Czech TV
- Denmark – DR / TV 2
- Ecuador - DirecTV
- Estonia - Viaplay
- Finland - Viaplay
- France beIN Sport France / TF1 / TMC
- Georgia - Silknet
- Germany - ARD / ZDF / Sportdeutschland.TV
- Greenland - KNR
- Hungary - MTVA
- Iceland - RUV
- Islamic Republic of Iran - Volant Media
- Italy - FIGH Italia
- Japan - Sportsbull
- Kazakhstan - Qazsport
- Kososvo - Arenasport
- Latvia - Viaplay
- Lithuania - Viaplay
- Montenegro - Arenasport
- Montenegro - RTCG
- Netherlands - Viaplay
- North Macedonia - Arenasport
- Norway - Viaplay
- Paraguay - DirecTV
- People's Republic of China - CCTV
- Peru - DirecTV
- Poland - Viaplay
- Republic of Korea - SkyK
- Republic of Congo - tbc
- Romania - Prima Sport / DigiTV
- Senegal - tbc
- Serbia - Radio Television of Serbia (RTS)
- Slovakia - tbd
- Slovenia - RTV Slovenija
- Spain - RTVE
- Sweden - Viaplay
- Switzerland - SRG
- Ukraine - SPORT 1 (Poverhnost TV)
- United Kingdom - Viaplay
- Uruguay - TYC Sports
- USA - ESPN
- Venezuela - DirecTV