The World Games 2022 Draw Complete

Earlier today (Thursday 2 June), the draw took place for the preliminary groups of the men’s and women’s beach handball competitions of The World Games Birmingham 2022 (TWG 2022).

The draw was held at the IHF Head Office in Basel, Switzerland by IHF office member responsible for beach handball, Hristo Boskoski.

As host nation, the United States of America had the option of choosing which group in their respective competition they wanted to be in.

The 11th edition of the multi-sport event, the first since the last edition held in Wroclaw, Poland in 2017, will take place from 7 to 17 July in Birmingham, United States of America and features eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams, split into two preliminary groups of four teams each.

All eight teams go through to the quarter-finals with the top team from each group playing the bottom team from each group and second playing third. It is then a straight knockout competition, with play-offs for 5 to 8 place.

In the men’s competition, USA coach Michael Hinson chose the all-Pan American Group B, which features reigning World Games, World Beach Games and World Championship title-holders Brazil alongside Argentina and debutants Puerto Rico, who finished runners-up in the NACHC Championships behind already-qualified hosts USA.

Group A features European champions Denmark, 2017 World Games and World Championship silver medallists Croatia, Asian champions and 2017 World Games bronze medallists Qatar and Oceania champions, and debutants, New Zealand.

USA women’s national team coach Lisa Dunn chose Group A for her team. That group features Oceania champions Australia, Wroclaw 2017 silver medallists and SACHC champions Argentina plus Denmark, who were given a reallocation spot in place of the African champions.

Group B pits Mexico against European champions Germany, Asian champions Vietnam and 2018 IHF Women’s Beach Handball Championship silver medallists Norway.

Draw result

Men’s Competition

Group A: Denmark, Qatar, New Zealand, Croatia Group B: Brazil, United States of America, Argentina, Puerto Rico

Women’s Competition

Group A: Argentina, United States of America, Australia, Denmark Group B: Norway, Germany, Vietnam, Mexico

Beach Handball at The World Games

Beach handball has been part of The World Games since it was introduced as a demonstration/invitational sport back in Japan in 2001. It followed in Germany (2005) and Chinese Taipei (2009), before becoming a full sport at the 2013 edition in Colombia. Poland was next in 2017, with the USA now in 2022.

Beach handball at TWG 2022 will take place in one of the most spectacular venues ever to host the sport, the National Historic Landmark of ‘Sloss Furnaces’ in Birmingham and tickets are now on sale via the official website. Connect with TWG 2022