Ukraine starts at the 2023 Women’s World Handball Championship. What you need to know about the tournament

From November 29 to December 17, three countries – Denmark, Norway and Sweden – will be accepted 2023 Women’s World Handball Championship. The Ukrainian team became one of 32 participants in the world championship. Sport Arena presents short tournament guide.

Ukraine’s path to the 2023 World Cup. How the national team used to play at world championships

The Ukrainian team has overcome two stages of qualification. In the first round, the Ukrainians defeated Luxembourg twice (36:13 and 30:11). At the second stage of the selection, the blue-yellows met with representatives of North Macedonia and won two victories – 24:22 and 31:22.

For the Ukrainian women’s team, reaching the World Cup was the first time in 14 years. In 2009, the blue-yellows took 17th place. In general, Ukrainian women will take part in the world championship for the eighth time in history. The best result was the 1/2 finals in 2003.

• Results of the Ukrainian women’s team at the World Cup:

They have the power, they have the class 💥🪃 Ukraine 🇺🇦 return to the IHF Women’s Handball World Championship after 14 years and they don’t want to go unnoticed 🦾 #DENNORSWE2023 #aimtoexcite pic.twitter.com/6jHOWg9nGx

— International Handball Federation (@ihf_info) November 22, 2023

Who will Ukraine play at the 2023 World Cup?

According to the results of the draw, the Ukrainian team was placed in Group G, where Vitaly Andronov’s team will play with Brazil, Spain and Kazakhstan.

The Spanish national team took fourth place at the world championship in 2021. Two years earlier, the Spaniards became silver medalists. In total, this will be the 12th World Cup in history for the Spanish team.

Brazil is the 2013 world champion. The team will compete at the World Cup for the 15th time. Note that the Brazilians have already qualified for the 2024 Olympics as the winner of the 2023 Pan American Games.

Kazakhstan’s best performance at the World Championships dates back to 2007 – 18th place. This will be the seventh world championship for the team (third in a row). It is the match with Kazakhstan that will be key for Ukraine in the fight to reach the next round of the World Cup.

Group G matches will take place from November 29 to December 3. All fights will take place in the Danish city of Frederiksgavn.

Schedule of matches of the Ukrainian national team

29.11. Brazil – Ukraine (19:00 Kyiv time)

01.12. Spain – Ukraine (21:30)

03.12. Ukraine – Kazakhstan (16:30)

World Cup 2023 format

At the preliminary group stage of the World Cup, 32 participating teams are divided into 8 groups.

• Group A: Sweden, Croatia, China, Senegal
• Group B: Montenegro, Hungary, Cameroon, Paraguay
• Group C: Norway, South Korea, Greenland, Austria
• Group D: France, Slovenia, Angola, Iceland
• Group E: Denmark, Romania, Serbia, Chile
• Group F: Germany, Poland, Japan, Iran
• Group G: Brazil, Spain, Ukraine, Kazakhstan
• Group H: Netherlands, Czech Republic, Argentina, Congo

The three best teams from each quartet will advance to the main group round (4 groups of 6 teams) and continue to fight for 1-24 places. The two best teams from each sextet will advance to the playoffs. At the 2023 World Cup, one ticket to the 2024 Olympics in Paris will be awarded.

The teams that take fourth place at the previous stage will play in a gratifying tournament for 25-32 places – the President’s Cup.

A dazzling new trophy for a historic WCh 🏆 The winners of #DENNORSWE2023 will be the first to raise the new perpetual trophy, donated by 🇸🇪 @hlandslaget🇳🇴 @NORhandball & 🇩🇰 @DanskHaandbold; designed by Lena Bergström; & made by Swedish company Kosta Boda ⭐ #aimtoexcite pic.twitter.com/869DZIJlbV

— International Handball Federation (@ihf_info) November 28, 2023

Composition of the Ukrainian national team

Before the World Cup, the Ukrainian national team faced personnel problems. Leaders Evgenia Levchenko, Irina Glebko, Irina Stelmakh (suspended her career), Diana Dmytrishin and Daria Kot will not help the team in the upcoming matches.

Therefore, the coaching staff included several debutants in the application: Karina Kolodyuk, Olesya Dyachenko, Ekaterina Kozak and Karina Soskida.

In total, 18 handball players were included in the final application for the world championship. The coaching staff will have the right to enter 16 athletes for each match.

Goalkeepers: 1. Judit Balogh (Vasas, Hungary), 12. Maria Gladun (Lokomotiva, Croatia), 16. Victoria Saltanyuk (Kobezrzyce, Poland);

Central: 7. Maryana Markevich (Galician), 19. Tamara Smbatyan (Alba Fehervar, Hungary);

Left welterweights: 8. Karina Soskida (Juventa, Slovakia), 9. Julia Andreychuk (Dacia Miovene, Romania), 14. Tatiana Polyak (Galician), 33. Irina Kompaniec (Juventa, Slovakia);

Right welterweight: 18. Evgenia Koguch (Juventa, Slovakia);

Left extremes: 28. Marina Konovalova (Galichan), 21. Olesya Dyachenko (Galichan);

Far right: 32. Milana Shukal (Galician), 22. Ekaterina Kozak (Galician);

Linear: 10. Irina Prokopyak (Galician), 15. Anastasia Melekestseva (Kobezhice, Poland), 17. Andreana Naumenko (Zalau Romania, Romania), 34. Karina Kolodyuk (Carpathians).

Where to watch the 2023 Women’s World Handball Championship

In Ukraine, all matches of the national team will be broadcast live on the Sport 1 TV channel..