The Lions May Reach the World Cup Through Diplomatic Means, All Eyes on RSCG
The Montenegrin handball team fell short of claiming the World Cup on the field, with their performance in the playoff against Italy failing to merit such an achievement. However, they might still secure a spot at the World Cup through diplomatic channels…
Essentially, much relies on the capabilities of the leaders within the Handball Association.
Though the qualifiers have concluded, the IHF retains one of the two wild cards (special invitations) due to no team from Oceania reaching the top five in the Asian Championship.
The World Handball Federation has issued one wild card to the United States, and the Serbian Handball Federation has already declared their intention for the second one.
“Serbia demonstrated their worth with a compelling victory over Spain (in a match that was insufficient for World Cup qualification), proving they belong among the elite teams in the world. The management of the Handball Federation of Serbia is aligned in this belief and will submit a formal request to the IHF tomorrow,” reported RSS as cited by Agency Beta.
If Serbia lays claim to a spot in the tournament hosted by Croatia, Denmark, and Norway, Montenegro also possesses a legitimate claim based on prior accomplishments.
Notably, during the last significant event—the European Championship in January—the “lions” triumphed over the “eagles,” finishing ahead of them. Among the teams not securing World Cup spots, the highest-ranked (14th place) came from the European Championship. Previously, they achieved an 11th place at the EHF Euro.
Conversely, should the IHF evaluate performances from the last World Cup, Serbia might hold the edge, as they finished 11th in the 2023 tournament, while Montenegro landed in 18th place.
In addition to Serbia, Switzerland and the Faroe Islands are also anticipated to request special invitations…
Did the “lions” earn their place in the World Cup? Clearly, they did not, but perhaps it’s time for RSCG to display their diplomatic prowess and grant them the chance to “make things right” at the global championship.
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