The men’s national coach looked at it
Handball women celebrate their opening World Cup win
November 26, 2025 – 20:08Reading time: 2 minutes
German handball players scored the first two points early in the World Cup home game, but still have room for improvement. That continued on Friday.
German handball players started the World Cup on home soil with a sense of success. National coach Markus Gaugisch’s team won against Iceland in Stuttgart with 32:25 (18:14) – without being convincing in terms of play.
In front of 5,527 spectators, Alina Grijseels with seven goals and Jenny Behrend and Nieke Kühne (five goals each) were among the best throwers of the German team. The last medal win was 18 years ago. Men’s national coach Alfred Gislason, who watched the game in the stands, remained optimistic: “I think the team has a good chance of reaching the semifinals,” the Icelander said on Sporteurope.TV.
On Friday the DHB selection will meet Uruguay, followed by a preliminary round duel against Serbia on Sunday. The three best teams in Group C qualify for the main round in Dortmund. The quarter-finals will also take place there on December 9.
The start of the tournament was less confident than expected. DHB sporting director Ingo Meckes had warned before the first game: “It’s definitely not a fireworks display. But the team is ready. It’s about fighting to get to the tournament.”
And that’s what it takes. Iceland repeatedly caused problems for the German defense with their fast-paced play. A 5-0 to 10-6 run (11th minute) gave the team an early lead, but technical errors and inaccurate shots prevented a clearer advantage. At the break, the DHB selection was still ahead by four goals.
After the break, the German team initially increased their lead, but repeatedly let Iceland close due to their own lack of concentration. The defense that is the team’s strength also shows weaknesses – as in the last World Cup test against Switzerland (35:32).
Goalkeeper Katharina Filter was a stabilizing factor. With more than ten saves, he made a decisive contribution to ensure that his lead was no longer in danger. In the end, the German team celebrated a deserved opening win – despite some weaknesses throughout the game.
