Switzerland Aim for Breakthrough Performance at 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship
Copenhagen,Denmark – Switzerland is poised to make a splash at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship in Germany and the Netherlands,marking their debut appearance in the tournament after a period of notable growth in the nation’s handball program. Having previously competed at the EHF EURO, finishing 14th in 2022 and 12th as co-hosts in 2024, Switzerland is now looking to translate that European experience onto the world stage.
The team’s recent success is built on a foundation of strategic planning and a thriving youth academy, which has produced promising results at the IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, finishing eighth in both the last two editions. This advancement pipeline has yielded key players like right wing Mia Emmenegger, 20, and line player Tabea Schmid, 22, both of whom have recently signed with danish powerhouse Team Esbjerg.
Schmid, a prolific scorer, has already made waves, currently ranking among the top goalscorers in the EHF Champions League Women with 27 goals after four rounds – just behind teammate and 2024 IHF Female Player of the Year, Henny Reistad.
“It means a lot. It was the next logical step, because we made some progress in the last years, qualifying for the European Championship in 2022 and than playing at home in 2024. And we have made so much progress over the last year. And when we played against Slovakia, we showed a good performance in both matches.therefore, we deserve to be here,” Schmid told ihf.info.
Switzerland’s squad blends youthful talent with experienced players like backs Kerstin Kündig and Daphne Gautschi, who have honed their skills in leagues across Germany, France, and Romania.
Drawn into Pot 2 for the preliminary round, Switzerland has been presented with a favorable draw, positioning them as potential dark horses in the competition. While they have lost their last three matches against Hungary – 28:33 at the EHF EURO 2022, and two EHF Euro Cup defeats (26:38 and 27:35) – they are expected to be favored in their opening matches against Senegal and the Islamic Republic of Iran, potentially securing a place in the top-16.
with a roster boasting a wealth of young players, Switzerland is shaping up to be one of the youngest teams in the tournament, signaling a radiant future for the program under coach Knut Ove Joa.
Key players: Tabea Schmid (line player), Mia Emmenegger (right wing), Kerstin Kündig (center back)
Coach: Knut Ove Joa
Qualification for Germany/Netherlands 2025: European Qualifiers – Phase 2: 68:46 on aggregate against Slovakia
History in tournament: Debutants
group at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023: Group B (Hungary, Switzerland, Senegal, Islamic Republic of Iran)
Photo credit: Alexander Wagner
