The Montenegrin handball team fell short of winning the World Cup on the field and did not showcase the performance needed during their playoff match against Italy. However, they might still secure a spot at the World Cup through diplomatic efforts.

Specifically, much will hinge on the capabilities of the leaders within the Handball Association.

The qualifiers have concluded, but the IHF still possesses one of the two wild cards (special invitations), as no team from Oceania managed to finish in the top five at the Asian Championship.

The World Handball Federation has already granted one wild card to the United States, and the Handball Federation of Serbia is now vying for the second.

“Serbia demonstrated their quality with a win over Spain (in a match that ultimately did not qualify them for the World Cup), proving they belong among the world’s elite. The management of the Handball Federation of Serbia is confident and plans to submit a request to the IHF shortly,” stated RSS, as reported by Agency Beta.

If Serbia holds hopes of competing in the tournament hosted by Croatia, Denmark, and Norway, Montenegro also has a valid claim based on previous results.

After all, in the most recent major event, the European Championship in January, the “lions” triumphed over the “eagles” and performed better overall. Among teams that failed to secure a World Cup spot, Montenegro ranked the highest at 14th place in the European Championship. Prior to that, they achieved an 11th place finish at the EHF Euro.

Conversely, if the IHF evaluates the performances from the last World Cup, Serbia would likely have an edge, finishing in 11th place while Montenegro placed 18th.

In addition to Serbia, Switzerland and the Faroe Islands are also expected to request special invitations.

Did the “lions” merit a spot at the World Cup? Clearly, they did not, yet it may be time for RSCG to exhibit their diplomatic skills and provide them an opportunity to redeem themselves at the global championship.

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