The 2025 IHF Women’s Handball World Championship, hosted by Germany and the Netherlands, set a new all-time attendance record, with 354,029 spectators in the arenas before the final day of competition. The figure surpasses the previous high recorded in 2023, when the tournament reached 344,399 spectators, and confirms a clear growth trend despite an unchanged competitive format.
The 2025 edition featured 32 national teams, the same number as in the 2021 and 2023 championships, with 108 matches played, slightly fewer than the 112 games at the previous World Championship. The increase in attendance therefore reflects greater audience engagement rather than an expansion of the tournament itself.
More than double the attendance compared with 2021
The scale of this growth becomes particularly clear when compared with Spain 2021, where total attendance stood at 119,041 spectators. Since then, figures have risen steadily: in 2023 the tournament surpassed the 340,000 mark for the first time, and in 2025 the benchmark was raised again, with more than 9,600 additional spectators compared with the previous record. These numbers place the women’s championship at its strongest historical moment in terms of live attendance.
The choice of Germany and the Netherlands as co-hosts played a significant role in this outcome. Both countries have a long-standing tradition of elite handball, strong federative structures and established fan bases accustomed to major international competitions. More than 2,000 volunteers supported daily operations throughout the event, ensuring the smooth running of venues, team services and spectator flows across all stages of the championship.
Higher tempo, more goals and improved attacking efficiency
Beyond attendance, the tournament delivered clear indicators of on-court development supported by objective data. Among the top eight teams, the average number of attacks reached 56.8 per match, with an average attack duration of 31.7 seconds, highlighting a consistently high tempo and rapid transitions between phases of play.
That increase in pace translated directly into greater scoring output. The championship recorded an average of 64.0 goals per match, the highest figure in the tournament’s history, surpassing the previous record of 60.8 goals set in 2003. Attacking efficiency rose to 56.4%, the highest level in 20 years, after dropping to 52.9% in the 2023 edition. In this category, Norway led the field with an attacking effectiveness of 61.7%.
Fewer errors and a more balanced competitive landscape
Another key indicator was the reduction in technical errors. In 2025, teams averaged 11.2 technical faults per match, compared with 11.8 in 2023. Hungary stood out in this area, recording just 9.1 errors per game on average and setting a benchmark for game management.
These factors contributed to a more balanced competitive landscape. Many matches were decided by narrow margins, both in the group phase and in the knockout rounds. Brazil reached the quarter-finals and finished sixth after closely contested matches against European opponents; Angola climbed to tenth place, achieving one of the best results in its history; and Japan secured 13th position, confirming its place among the upper half of the field. In the elimination rounds, several ties remained open until the final minutes in both the round of 16 and the quarter-finals, contrasting with earlier editions where scorelines were often more decisive.
