Wheelchair Handball, with Brazil and Chile participating. A new edition of the world championship is coming up, and it will be the first time it is held on the European continent, in the city of Granollers, Spain.
From September 16 to 20, the tournament will feature teams representing the six continental confederations of the IHF.
With Egypt defending its title, Spain making its debut as host, and Australia, Libya, and Lithuania participating for the first time, the 2026 edition features a broader field of participants.
The list of 12 teams is rounded out by the defending champion, Egypt; the 2024 runner-up, the United States; as well as Brazil, Chile, Portugal, Japan, India, France, and the host, Spain.
Groups defined
Competition will consist of a preliminary round featuring four groups of three teams, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.
The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, ensuring that each team plays at least five games during the tournament.
Representatives from South America will be: Brazil and Chile. Brazil is in Group C alongside Portugal and India. It is one of the most evenly matched groups. Brazil won the 2022 Four-Player Wheelchair Handball World Championship.
Meanwhile, Chile is in Group D along with Egypt and Lithuania. The Chileans have extensive experience in World Cup tournaments. The Egyptians were champions in 2022 and are the defending champions.
Key Fact
It is worth noting that Brazil, Chile, Egypt, and India are the only four teams participating in 2026 that have competed in the two previous editions of the IHF Wheelchair Handball World Championship (four-on-four format), held in 2022 and 2024.
Brazil won the inaugural title, Egypt claimed the title in 2024, and both Chile and India arrive in Granollers with the experience they’ve gained in both tournaments.
The competition continues: MATCH SCHEDULE
This Wednesday, Brazil plays Portugal and Chile faces Egypt. You can follow all the matches on the YouTube channel of IHF Competitions.
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Photos: courtesy of IHF
