Exciting news has emerged from the headquarters of the European Handball Federation regarding the competition for a special invitation to the World Cup…

The Handball Association of Montenegro has announced that the EHF has officially recognized our men’s team as the top replacement choice based on their placement from the previous European Championship, making them first on the list of teams that did not qualify for the World Cup.

According to RSCG, the EHF conveyed this information in a letter addressed to the World Handball Federation (IHF). Following Montenegro on the replacement list are Georgia, Serbia, the Faroe Islands, and Switzerland.

“This news holds significant value as we await the decision regarding who will receive a special invitation to participate in the global tournament, which the IHF is expected to announce this week or next,” the RSCG stated.

Previously, the Handball Federation of Montenegro mentioned applying for a wild card, now emphasizing that the update from the EHF supports their claims made in a letter to the IHF regarding their intent to secure a special invitation.

“Our primary argument for the IHF to grant a special invitation to Montenegro is our status as the highest-placed national team from the last major competition – EHF Euro 2024 – among all national teams that failed to qualify through playoffs for the World Championship,” added RSCG.

Among European teams, aside from the three hosts (Croatia, Denmark, and Norway), three nations qualified for the World Cup based on their outcomes at EHF Euro 2024 (France, Sweden, and Germany), while Hungary, Slovakia, Portugal, Austria, Iceland, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, and North Macedonia did not qualify.

“The IHF has the authority to issue two special invitations, one of which has been granted to the United States. Until now, Montenegro has never participated in major competitions via a special invitation, always earning the right through their performances. Perhaps it’s time for the ‘lions’ to seize a new opportunity to shine on the grand stage for the fourth consecutive year,” concluded the RSCG.

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