The Dar Sebastien - International Cultural Center in Hammamet, Tunisia was the setting for the draw of the 2025 IHF Men’s and Women’s Youth (U17) Beach Handball World Championships on Thursday (10 April).

This year’s event will take place on Mamaia Beach in Hammamet from 17 to 22 June. A total of 32 teams (16 in each competition) will participate in the beach handball spectacular which also acts as a qualification event for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, set to be held in Dakar, Senegal next year.

Giampiero Masi, Chairperson of the IHF Beach Handball Working Group and Hristo Boskoski, IHF office member responsible for Beach Handball, alongside Zoran Radojičić, President of Mediterranean Handball Confederation, and Karim Helali, the President of the Tunisian Handball Federation, conducted the draw.

As organisers, Tunisia had the right to choose the group in which they will compete in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Ahead of the draw, Senegal were awarded a place in both the men’s and women’s competitions by the IHF Executive Committee, replacing withdrawn teams. The decision was taken after taking into consideration that Senegal are the hosts of the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics, where beach handball will be present, and participating in this edition of the IHF Youth Beach Handball World Championships will help the nation prepare and build on their legacy.

Hosts choose debutant clashes in women’s draw

The women’s draw was conducted first with six debutants, including Bulgaria, Kenya, Mexico, Senegal, Tanzania and hosts, Tunisia.

Reigning champions Spain, who have appeared in both the 2017 and 2022 editions were draw into group D, where they will face 2018 Youth Olympic Games silver medallists Croatia along with Uruguay and Bulgaria.

Ever-presents Thailand were drawn into group A where they will face France, Brazil and Tanzania, while silver medallists in both editions so far, Netherlands, were drawn into group B where they will face neighbours Germany as well as China and Kenya.

Tunisia chose to be in group C where they will face the power of Hungary, who won gold in 2017, finished fourth in 2022 and won bronze at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Joining them are debutants Mexico and Senegal.

Tough South American group set to test 2022 men’s runners-up

Reigning champions Croatia did not qualify for the 2025 edition, with Greece 2022 silver medallists Brazil the highest-ranked side from last time out in the draw. They were drawn into group D, which can also be called a mini South American group as they will face ever-presents Argentina, who won bronze in 2017 and again at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, plus Uruguay. Senegal, one of nine men’s debutant teams, will be hoping to break the continental powerhouses in the group.

Group A sees 2022 bronze medallists Iran take on 2017 gold medallists and ever-presents, Spain – who also won the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, plus debutants Oman and Puerto Rico. African sides Tanzania and Kenya will take on fellow debutants Hungary, plus Germany in group B.

Finally, Tunisia chose to be placed in group C, where they will face Thailand, alongside debutants Mexico and the Oceania side, Cook Islands.

Draw result

Men’s Competition (16 teams)
Group A: Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), Spain (ESP), Oman (OMA), Puerto Rico (PUR)
Group B: Hungary (HUN), Germany (GER), Tanzania (TAN), Kenya (KEN)
Group C: Tunisia (TUN), Thailand (THA), Mexico (MEX), Cook Islands (COK)
Group D: Argentina (ARG), Brazil (BRA), Uruguay (URU), Senegal (SEN)

Women’s Competition (16 teams)
Group A: France (FRA), Brazil (BRA), Thailand (THA), Tanzania (TAN)
Group B: Netherlands (NED), Germany (GER), People’s Republic of China (CHN), Kenya (KEN)
Group C: Tunisia (TUN), Hungary (HUN), Mexico (MEX), Senegal (SEN)
Group D: Croatia (CRO), Uruguay (URU), Spain (ESP), Bulgaria (BUL)

Tunisia 2025 is the third edition of the IHF Men’s and Women’s Youth Beach Handball World Championships and the second time it has visited Africa, following its debut in 2017 in Mauritius, and then its second edition, in Greece in 2022.

Hammamet has previously hosted a stage of the 2023 IHF Beach Handball Global tour and the beach handball events of the 2nd African Games.

To read more about the qualified teams, competition format and player eligibility, please visit the draw preview HERE.