# National team appearances in the World Women's Handball Championship

This article lists the performances of each of the 50 national teams which have made at least one appearance in the IHF World Women's Handball Championship finals.

## Debut of teams

Each successive World Women's Handball Championship has had at least one team appearing for the first time. Teams in parentheses are considered successor teams by IHF.
| Year | Debutants | Total |
| 1957 | Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden, West Germany, Yugoslavia | 9 |
| 1962 | Japan, Soviet Union | 2 |
| 1965 | | 0 |
| 1971 | East Germany, Netherlands, Norway | 3 |
| 1973 | | 0 |
| 1975 | Tunisia, United States | 2 |
| 1978 | Algeria, Canada, South Korea | 3 |
| 1982 | Bulgaria, Congo | 2 |
| 1986 | China, France | 2 |
| 1990 | Angola | 1 |
| 1993 | ( Germany), Lithuania, ( Russia), Spain | 4 |
| 1995 | Brazil, Croatia, ( Czech Republic), Ivory Coast, Slovakia, Ukraine | 6 |
| 1997 | Belarus, Macedonia, Slovenia, Uruguay, Uzbekistan | 5 |
| 1999 | Argentina, Australia, Cuba | 3 |
| 2001 | Greenland, Italy, ( Serbia and Montenegro) | 3 |
| 2003 | | 0 |
| 2005 | | 0 |
| 2007 | Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan, Paraguay | 3 |
| 2009 | Chile, Thailand | 2 |
| 2011 | Iceland, ( Montenegro) | 2 |
| 2013 | DR Congo, ( Serbia) | 2 |
| 2015 | Puerto Rico | 1 |
| 2017 | | 0 |
| 2019 | Senegal | 1 |
| 2021 | Iran | 1 |
| 2023 | | 0 |
| 2025 | Egypt | 1 |

## Participation details
### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Third place
* 4th – Fourth place
* 5th – Fifth place
* 6th – Sixth place
* 7th – Seventh place
* 8th – Eighth place
* 9th – Ninth place
* 10th – Tenth place
* 11th – Eleventh place
* 12th – Twelfth place
* MR – Main round
* GS – Group stage
* Q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
* •• – Qualified but withdrew
* • – Did not qualify
* × – Did not enter / Withdrew from the World Championship / Banned
* – Hosts
For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.
| Team | 1957 | 1962 | 1965 | 1971 | 1973 | 1975 | 1978 | 1982 | 1986 | 1990 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2021 | 2023 | 2025 | 2027 | 2029 | 2031 | Total |
| Algeria | France | France | × | × | × | × | 10th | • | • | • | • | • | 19th | × | • | • | × | × | • | • | 22nd | • | • | • | × | • | • | | | | 3 |
| Angola | Part of Portugal | Part of Portugal | Part of Portugal | Part of Portugal | Part of Portugal | × | × | • | • | 16th | 16th | 13th | 15th | 15th | 13th | 17th | 16th | 7th | 11th | 8th | 16th | 16th | 19th | 15th | 25th | 15th | Q | | | | 18 |
| Argentina | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 24th | • | 22nd | 20th | 20th | 19th | 23rd | 19th | 18th | 23rd | 16th | 21st | 20th | Q | | | | 13 |
| Australia | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 23rd | • | 23rd | 24th | 24th | 24th | 24th | 24th | • | × | 24th | × | • | × | | | | 8 |
| Austria | 6th | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | 12th | 5th | 8th | 8th | 11th | 3rd | 7th | 11th | 13th | 16th | 10th | • | • | • | • | • | 16th | 19th | | | | | 14 |
| Belarus | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | • | • | 16th | 14th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | × | | | | 2 |
| Brazil | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | 17th | 23rd | 16th | 12th | 20th | 7th | 14th | 15th | 5th | 1st | 10th | 18th | 17th | 6th | 9th | Q | | | | 16 |
| Bulgaria | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | 10th | • | 12th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | • | | | | 2 |
| Cameroon | FRA | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | • | • | × | × | • | • | • | • | 22nd | • | • | • | • | • | 20th | • | 28th | 24th | • | | | | 4 |
| Canada | × | × | × | × | × | • | 10th | • | • | 15th | • | 17th | 20th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | | | | | 4 |
| Chile | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 23rd | • | • | • | • | • | • | 27th | • | | | | 2 |
| China | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | 9th | 8th | 14th | 13th | 22nd | 18th | 11th | 19th | 17th | 21st | 12th | 21st | 18th | 17th | 22nd | 23rd | 32nd | 28th | • | | | | 18 |
| Congo | FRA | × | × | × | × | × | × | 12th | •• | • | • | • | • | 22nd | 22nd | • | • | 17th | 20th | • | • | • | • | • | 23rd | 26th | • | | | | 7 |
| Croatia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | • | 10th | 6th | • | • | 14th | 11th | 9th | • | 7th | • | • | • | • | 18th | 14th | | | | | 8 |
| Cuba | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 21st | • | • | • | • | • | 22nd | • | 23rd | • | 21st | × | • | | | | | 4 |
| Czech Republic | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | See Czechoslovakia | 13th | 13th | 19th | • | 15th | • | • | • | • | 15th | • | 8th | • | 19th | 8th | | | | Q | 9 |
| DR Congo | BEL | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | 20th | 24th | • | 20th | • | • | • | | | | 3 |
| Denmark | 5th | 2nd | 5th | 6th | 7th | 9th | • | • | • | 10th | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 6th | 4th | 13th | 4th | • | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 6th | 6th | 9th | 3rd | 3rd | Q | | | | 23 |
| Dominican Republic | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 22nd | • | • | 23rd | • | • | • | × | × | | | | | 2 |
| Egypt | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | • | × | × | × | × | • | Q | | | | 1 |
| France | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | 15th | 14th | • | • | 10th | 2nd | 5th | 1st | 12th | 5th | 2nd | 2nd | 6th | 7th | 1st | 13th | 2nd | 1st | Q | | | | 17 |
| Germany (including West Germany) | 4th | 8th | 3rd | 5th | 11th | • | 8th | 9th | 7th | 4th | 1st | 5th | 3rd | 7th | • | 12th | 6th | 3rd | 7th | 17th | 7th | 13th | 12th | 8th | 7th | 6th | Q | | | | 25 |
| Greenland | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 24th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 32nd | | | | | 2 |
| Hungary | 2nd | 5th | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 8th | • | 7th | 2nd | 9th | 5th | 6th | 2nd | 3rd | 8th | 9th | • | 8th | 11th | 15th | 14th | 10th | 10th | Q | Q | | | 26 |
| Iceland | × | × | • | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 12th | • | • | • | • | • | 25th | | | | | 2 |
| Iran | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | × | • | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | 31st | 31st | Q | | | | 3 |
| Italy | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 16th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | | | | | 1 |
| Ivory Coast | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | 17th | 14th | 20th | • | 21st | 21st | • | 18th | 16th | • | × | • | • | × | • | × | | | | 7 |
| Japan | × | 9th | 7th | 9th | 10th | 10th | • | • | 14th | • | • | 13th | 17th | 17th | 20th | 16th | 18th | 19th | 16th | 14th | 14th | 19th | 16th | 10th | 11th | 17th | Q | | | | 22 |
| Kazakhstan | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | • | × | × | × | • | •• | × | 18th | 22nd | 19th | • | 22nd | • | 22nd | 24th | 30th | Q | | | | 8 |
| Lithuania | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | 13th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | | | | | 1 |
| Montenegro | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Serbia and Montenegro | Part of Serbia and Montenegro | Part of Serbia and Montenegro | Part of Serbia and Montenegro | Part of Serbia and Montenegro | Part of Serbia and Montenegro | Part of Serbia and Montenegro | • | • | 10th | 11th | 8th | 6th | 5th | 22nd | 7th | | | | | 7 |
| Netherlands | × | × | • | 8th | 12th | • | 9th | • | 10th | • | • | • | • | 10th | 14th | • | 5th | • | • | 15th | 13th | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 9th | 5th | Q | | | | 15 |
| North Macedonia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | • | • | 7th | 8th | 21st | • | 15th | 12th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | | | | | 5 |
| Norway | × | × | • | 7th | 8th | 8th | • | 7th | 3rd | 6th | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 6th | 9th | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 5th | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | Q | | | | 23 |
| Paraguay | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 23rd | • | • | 21st | • | 21st | • | 29th | 29th | • | | | | 5 |
| Poland | 7th | 7th | 8th | • | 5th | 7th | 6th | • | 13th | 9th | 10th | • | 8th | 11th | • | • | 19th | 11th | • | • | 4th | 4th | 17th | • | 15th | 16th | | | | Q | 19 |
| Puerto Rico | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 20th | • | • | 20th | × | | | | | 2 |
| Romania | 9th | 1st | 6th | 4th | 2nd | 4th | 7th | 8th | 5th | 7th | 4th | 7th | 12th | 4th | 17th | 10th | 2nd | 4th | 8th | 13th | 10th | 3rd | 10th | 12th | 13th | 12th | | | | | 26 |
| Russia | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | See Soviet Union | 5th | 6th | 4th | 12th | 1st | 7th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 6th | • | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 8th | × | × | | | | 14 |
| Senegal | FRA | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | × | • | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | 18th | • | 18th | Q | | | | 3 |
| Serbia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | See Serbia and Montenegro | See Serbia and Montenegro | See Serbia and Montenegro | See Serbia and Montenegro | See Serbia and Montenegro | See Serbia and Montenegro | See Serbia and Montenegro | • | • | • | 2nd | 15th | 9th | 6th | 12th | 21st | | | | | 6 |
| Slovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | 12th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 26th | • | | | | | 2 |
| Slovenia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | • | • | 18th | • | 9th | 8th | 14th | • | • | • | • | • | 14th | 19th | 17th | 11th | | | | | 8 |
| South Korea | × | × | × | × | × | • | 10th | 6th | 11th | 11th | 11th | 1st | 5th | 9th | 15th | 3rd | 8th | 6th | 6th | 11th | 12th | 14th | 13th | 11th | 14th | 22nd | Q | | | | 21 |
| Spain | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | 15th | • | • | • | 10th | 5th | • | 10th | 4th | 3rd | 9th | 12th | 11th | 2nd | 4th | 13th | | | Q | | 13 |
| Sweden | 8th | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 13th | 6th | 11th | • | • | 8th | • | • | • | 13th | 9th | • | 9th | 4th | 7th | 5th | 4th | | | | | 12 |
| Thailand | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 21st | • | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | | | | 1 |
| Tunisia | × | × | × | × | × | 12th | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | × | 19th | 18th | • | 15th | 14th | 18th | 17th | 21st | 24th | • | 27th | • | Q | | | | 11 |
| Ukraine | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | • | 9th | • | 13th | 18th | 4th | 10th | 13th | 17th | • | • | • | • | • | • | 23rd | | | | | 8 |
| United States | × | × | × | × | × | 11th | • | 11th | 16th | • | 12th | 17th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | Q | Q | | | 7 |
| Uruguay | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 24th | • | 23rd | 24th | 23rd | • | • | 20th | • | • | • | • | • | • | Q | | | | 6 |
| Uzbekistan | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | × | × | 21st | × | × | • | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | × | 30th | • | × | | | | 2 |
| Discontinued teams ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Czechoslovakia | 1st | 3rd | 4th | • | 6th | 6th | 4th | 5th | 2nd | • | 9th | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | See Czech Republic | 9 |
| East Germany | × | • | • | 1st | 9th | 1st | 1st | 4th | 4th | 3rd | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | See Germany | 7 |
| Serbia and Montenegro | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | • | • | • | • | 3rd | 9th | • | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | 2 |
| Soviet Union | × | 6th | × | • | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | See Russia | 7 |
| Yugoslavia | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 6th | 2nd | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | See Serbia | 10 |
| Total | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | |

## Results of host nations

| Year | Host Nation | Finish |
| 1957 | Yugoslavia | Third place |
| 1962 | Romania | Champions |
| 1965 | West Germany | Third place |
| 1971 | Netherlands | Eighth place |
| 1973 | Yugoslavia | Champions |
| 1975 | Soviet Union | Runners-up |
| 1978 | Czechoslovakia | Fourth place |
| 1982 | Hungary | Runners-up |
| 1986 | Netherlands | Tenth place |
| 1990 | South Korea | Eleventh place |
| 1993 | Norway | Third place |
| 1995 | Austria | Eighth place |
| 1995 | Hungary | Runners-up |
| 1997 | Germany | Third place |
| 1999 | Denmark | Sixth place |
| 1999 | Norway | Champions |
| 2001 | Italy | Sixteenth place |
| 2003 | Croatia | Fourteenth place |
| 2005 | Russia | Champions |
| 2007 | France | Fifth place |
| 2009 | China | Twelfth place |
| 2011 | Brazil | Fifth place |
| 2013 | Serbia | Runners-up |
| 2015 | Denmark | Sixth place |
| 2017 | Germany | Twelfth place |
| 2019 | Japan | Tenth place |
| 2021 | Spain | Fourth place |
| 2023 | Denmark | Third place |
| 2023 | Norway | Runners-up |
| 2023 | Sweden | Fourth place |
| 2025 | Germany | TBD |
| 2025 | Netherlands | TBD |
| 2027 | Hungary | TBD |
| 2029 | Spain | TBD |
| 2031 | Czech Republic | TBD |
| 2031 | Poland | TBD |

## Results of defending champions

| Year | Defending champions | Finish |
| 1957 | — | — |
| 1962 | Czechoslovakia | Third place |
| 1965 | Romania | Sixth place |
| 1971 | Hungary | Third place |
| 1973 | East Germany | Ninth place |
| 1975 | Yugoslavia | Fifth place |
| 1978 | East Germany | Champions |
| 1982 | East Germany | Fourth place |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | Champions |
| 1990 | Soviet Union | Champions |
| 1993 | Russia | Fifth place |
| 1995 | Germany | Fifth place |
| 1997 | South Korea | Fifth place |
| 1999 | Denmark | Sixth place |
| 2001 | Norway | Runners-up |
| 2003 | Russia | Seventh place |
| 2005 | France | Twelfth place |
| 2007 | Russia | Champions |
| 2009 | Russia | Champions |
| 2011 | Russia | Sixth place |
| 2013 | Norway | Fifth place |
| 2015 | Brazil | Tenth place |
| 2017 | Norway | Runners-up |
| 2019 | France | Thirteenth place |
| 2021 | Netherlands | Ninth place |
| 2023 | Norway | Runners-up |
| 2025 | France | TBD |
| 2027 | TBD | TBD |
| 2029 | TBD | TBD |
| 2031 | TBD | TBD |