Zorman's aces await draw in Bavaria

Slovenia's men's national handball team has successfully qualified for the upcoming World Championship, set to be hosted by Germany in January. The team secured their place after a hard-fought victory over Montenegro, clinching the win in the final minute of their qualifying match played in Koper.

Coach Uroš Zorman's squad faced a challenging path to qualification. Had they failed to secure the win against Montenegro, they might have relied on a special invitation from the International Handball Federation (IHF). Such invitations were extended to Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but notably not to higher-ranked teams like Hungary and the Netherlands, which also failed to qualify through the standard routes.

The draw for the 30th World Championship will take place on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Munich. Slovenia has been placed in the second seeding pot, a favorable position that prevents them from facing teams such as France, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Italy, the Faroe Islands, and North Macedonia during the preliminary round. The championship's initial phase will be held across Munich, Stuttgart, Kiel, and Magdeburg, with knockout stages and medal matches taking place in Hanover and Cologne.