Netherlands Ready for 27th Women’s Handball Worlds
With just a few days to go before the start of the Women’s Handball World Championship, the Netherlands is gearing up for weeks of handball spectacle. Rotterdam Ahoy is being specially transformed into a unique handball arena, where fans can sit close to the pitch and experience top-level sport.
The tournament officially kicks off on November 26 in Stuttgart. The first match on Dutch soil will take place on November 27 at 6:00 PM, when Romania and Croatia meet in Rotterdam Ahoy. The Team NL Women’s Handball team will also play all its matches there, starting on November 28. A temporary stadium with seating for 9,000 fans is being built in Hall 1 of Ahoy. This format was chosen to ensure everyone can sit close to the pitch and enjoy optimal visibility.
Public Interest
Interest in the tournament is high. Team NL’s first two matches are now completely sold out, as is the final. A few tickets are still available for the Netherlands’ final preliminary (group stage) match on December 2nd. If qualified, the Netherlands will play in the main round on December 4th, 6th, and 8th; ticket sales for these matches have already started.
World Cup Ambassador Tess Lieder: “I’ve played in many World Cups in my career, but never in my own country. That makes this tournament truly unique for Dutch handball. It’s an incredible honor to be an ambassador now and to see how handball is celebrated at the highest level in the Netherlands. For both players and fans, this is a dream come true.”
Audio Description for Visually Impaired Visitors
To make the World Cup accessible to everyone, special audio descriptions for visually impaired visitors will be available at the Dutch matches on December 2nd, 4th, and 8th. With this additional service, the organization aims to create an inclusive sporting experience for all fans.
The World Handball Championship in the Netherlands promises to be a true spectacle. The organization, run in The Netherlands by NHV, SportVibes, and TIG Sports & Events, expects tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world during the tournament and is looking forward to an unforgettable week of sporting handball.
HOST CITIES AND ROUNDS
The 2025 World Handball Championship will be held in five host cities in the Netherlands and Germany: Rotterdam, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Stuttgart, Dortmund, and Trier.
- Rotterdam (Ahoy): Group stage, main round, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.
- ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Maaspoort): Group stage and President’s Cup.
- Stuttgart (Porsche Arena): Group stage.
- Trier (Trier Arena): Group stage.
- Dortmund: Main round and quarterfinals.
The tournament runs from November 26 to December 14, 2025. The preliminary rounds end
on December 2. The match times for TeamNL in the group stage are November 28 (8:30 PM), November 30 (8:30 PM), and December 2 (8:30 PM).
