2015 World Men's Handball Championship — 2015 edition of the World Men's Handball Championship
France claimed a record fifth World Men's Handball Championship title in Qatar, the first time the tournament was held in the Middle East.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 24th World Men's Handball Championship
- Host country
- Qatar (first time)
- Final score
- France 25–22 Qatar
- France's title count
- 5 (record in handball history)
- Bronze medal match
- Poland 29–28 Spain (after extra time)
- Tournament dates
- 15 January – 1 February 2015
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The IHF Council voted on 27 January 2011 in Malmö, Sweden, to award hosting rights to Qatar over bids from Norway, Poland, and France. Qatar's selection marked the third time the championship was held in the Middle East and North Africa region, following Egypt in 1999 and Tunisia in 2005.
The 24th World Men's Handball Championship was held across Qatar from 15 January to 1 February 2015. France defeated host nation Qatar 25–22 in the final to claim their fifth world title, a record in the sport. Poland took bronze by defeating Spain 29–28 after extra time, while the tournament was also noted for multiple controversies.
France's fifth title set an unprecedented benchmark in world handball history, while Qatar's runner-up finish gave the nation its first-ever medal at the championship. Croatia finished sixth, their worst result in 13 years. Qatar's hosting demonstrated the expanding global reach of the sport into new regions, though ongoing controversies surrounding the competition attracted significant scrutiny.
Result
at Qatar