The 30th men’s handball World Championship runs from 13 to 31 January 2027 in six German cities, with Germany as sole host. Munich hosts Germany’s matches at 8:30 pm, and Cologne hosts the final stage. Tickets are sold on handball2027.com, and the latest sales phase is announced for 1 December 2026.
Checked on against the official sources cited (IHF, DHB Verbandsbüro, Olympiapark, handball2027.com).
In January 2027, Germany hosts the 30th men’s handball World Championship. Thirty-two teams, six cities and more than a hundred matches: the tournament is easiest to follow city by city. This article answers the questions a visitor really asks: which match, in which arena, at what time, with which ticket and on what budget. Every date carries its source and the date it was checked, and anything still provisional is flagged as such.
One tournament, six cities and a single host country
The championship runs from 13 to 31 January 2027. The group stage has eight groups of four teams, A to H. Groups A to F are played from 13 to 18 January. The main round brings together two groups in Cologne and two in Hanover, from 20 to 25 January. The final stage then takes place in Cologne, with the final on 31 January. The President’s Cup, for teams ranked 25th to 32nd, is played in Magdeburg.
Germany is the only host country, with no co-hosting for 2027. Denmark, the reigning world champion, and Croatia are participating teams: Denmark plays Group G in Kiel, and Croatia plays Group C in Munich.
The number of matches varies between sources, from 101 to 106. This article therefore writes « more than a hundred matches ». The table below gives the arenas, their published capacity and their role in the tournament.
| City | Arena | Capacity | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Munich | SAP Garden | more than 10,000 seats | Groups A and C |
| Stuttgart | Porsche-Arena | 6,200 | Groups B and D |
| Kiel | Wunderino Arena (Wikipedia, Wettfreunde calendars) | 10,250 | Groups E and G |
| Magdeburg | GETEC Arena | 6,500 | Groups F and H, President’s Cup |
| Hanover | ZAG arena | up to 10,000 | Main round |
| Cologne | LANXESS arena | 19,250 | Main round and final stage |
Source: Wikipedia (EN), 2027 World Men’s Handball Championship, handball2027.com and Visit Hannover, checked on 7 November 2026.
Munich: the opening of the tournament and Germany’s matches
SAP Garden, Olympiapark
The SAP Garden, in the Olympiapark, hosts twelve group matches. Group A brings together Germany, Serbia, Tunisia and Uruguay. Group C brings together Croatia, Spain, Chile and Turkey. The tournament opens here on 13 January, and Germany plays its three group matches here. The published capacity is more than 10,000 seats.
What you need to know before you go
- On 13 January, Serbia against Uruguay starts at 5:30 pm, followed by the opening ceremony, then Germany against Tunisia at 8:30 pm.
- On 15 and 17 January, Germany also plays at 8:30 pm, against Uruguay and then against Serbia.
- A day ticket covers both matches played that day.
- In Munich, the limit is five tickets per person per match day for Germany’s matches.
For a free morning, Munich is best explored on foot: the old town takes about two hours with a guide. The Viator listing checked on 7 November 2026 gives 120 minutes, a guide who speaks English, a mobile ticket and up to 25 people per group. For a longer outing, our guide to Neuschwanstein day trips from Munich compares guided and self-guided options. For another highlight of the city, see our Oktoberfest 2026 guide.
| Date | Kick-off | Match | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 January 2027 | 5:30 pm | Serbia against Uruguay, then opening ceremony | Confirmed |
| 13 January 2027 | 8:30 pm | Germany against Tunisia | Confirmed |
| 15 January 2027 | 8:30 pm | Uruguay against Germany | Germany kick-off confirmed |
| 17 January 2027 | 8:30 pm | Germany against Serbia | Germany kick-off confirmed |
Source: Olympiapark press release of 18 June 2026 and muenchen.de, checked on 7 November 2026. The other Munich fixtures have not been checked against an official source, so they are not included here.
Cologne: the main round and the entire final stage
LANXESS arena
The LANXESS arena hosts the main round, in two groups, from 20 to 25 January, then the entire final stage. The published capacity is 19,250 seats, according to Wikipedia and handball2027.com. The official sources checked do not publish a day-by-day schedule for the main round, so this article does not give one, to avoid presenting an unconfirmed schedule. The final-stage calendar, however, is set.
| Stage | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter-finals | 26 and 27 January 2027 | LANXESS arena, Cologne |
| Semi-finals | 29 January 2027 | LANXESS arena, Cologne |
| Classification matches (5th to 8th place) and medal matches | 29 and 31 January 2027 | LANXESS arena, Cologne |
| Final | 31 January 2027 | LANXESS arena, Cologne |
Source: IHF, news on the draw of 10 June 2026, checked on 7 November 2026.
Stuttgart: France in Group D
Porsche-Arena, Mercedesstraße 69
The Porsche-Arena hosts Groups B and D. Group B brings together Egypt, Italy, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. Group D brings together Argentina, France, Brazil and Kuwait. The French team (Les Bleus) plays its three group matches in Stuttgart.
What you need to know
- France’s match times are provisional. They still have to be confirmed with the French rights holders.
- Stuttgart Tourismus announces day tickets from €20.50 and passes from €52.
| Date | Expected kick-off | Match | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 January 2027 | 8:30 pm | France against Kuwait | Provisional |
| 16 January 2027 | 6:00 pm | France against Brazil | Provisional |
| 18 January 2027 | 8:30 pm | Argentina against France | Provisional |
Source: Wettfreunde, chronological calendar, checked on 7 November 2026. The site notes that the French times still have to be confirmed with the French rights holders.
Kiel and Magdeburg: arenas, and dates to check
Kiel, groups E and G
Kiel hosts Groups E and G. Denmark, the reigning world champion, is in Group G: the German federation requested this placement. The arena is the Wunderino Arena according to Wikipedia and the Wettfreunde calendars; handball2027.com names it MERKUR Ostseehalle. The two names probably refer to the same venue, although the sources do not confirm it. The published capacity is 10,250.
The Group G dates are not given here. The calendars checked disagree, notably on the last group day, which is listed either as 17 or 19 January. For this group, the only reliable reference is handball2027.com, to check when you book.
Magdeburg, groups F and H, and the President’s Cup
The GETEC Arena, which can hold 6,500 spectators, hosts Groups F and H and the President’s Cup. This competition brings together the teams ranked 25th to 32nd in the tournament. The Group H dates follow the same logic as Group G: the sources do not agree on the schedule, and this article does not publish it.
Hanover: the main round, 20 to 25 January
Hanover hosts the main round, from Wednesday 20 to Monday 25 January 2027, at the ZAG arena. Visit Hannover gives a capacity of « up to 10,000 seats », which varies with the technical requirements of television. The usual match times are 3:30 pm, 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm. The composition of Groups III and IV is not published in the sources checked: it depends on the group-stage results, so this article does not detail it.
For an evening free in Hanover, our complete guide to the Schützenfest Hanover 2026 covers the festival.
Tickets for Hanover are bought on handball2027.com, like the rest of the tournament.
The Visit Hannover page links to another ticket seller, which this article does not pass on.
Source: Visit Hannover, tickets and schedule, last update shown as 21 August 2026, checked on 7 November 2026.
Tickets: three known sales dates
Tickets are sold on handball2027.com, the tournament’s official shop. The German federation says they are only available on this site, and it warns against third-party platforms, where prices can be heavily inflated. More than 180,000 tickets had been sold before the draw on 10 June 2026, according to the DHB.
| Date and time | Phase | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 15 December 2025, 12:00 pm | Pre-sale | Day tickets and group tickets, for the group stages and the main round |
| 4 September 2026, 12:00 pm | Phase 3 (past) | About 17,000 tickets from unused national quotas, excluding the last weekend in Cologne |
| 1 December 2026, 12:00 pm | Phase 4 (announced) | Leftover quotas, to be confirmed on handball2027.com before you buy |
Source: DHB Verbandsbüro, 15 December 2025, DHB Verbandsbüro, 4 June 2026 and IHF, new tickets, checked on 7 November 2026.
There is no official price grid for 2027 in the sources checked. Two starting prices were found: €20.50 for a day ticket in Stuttgart, on an undated page, and €25 in Munich, reserved for wheelchair users according to Heidelberg24, 28 December 2025. Prices from past tournaments do not apply to this edition, and this article offers no estimate. The actual price depends on the seat category and the sales phase: check handball2027.com at the time of purchase.
Two field rules complete these dates. In Munich, the limit is five tickets per person per match day for Germany’s matches, and a day ticket covers both matches of the day.
A match day in Munich, step by step
Times below are German local time, one hour ahead of the UK. 13 January is the easiest day to plan, since two matches follow one another in the same arena. One day ticket covers both.
- Late afternoon: arrive at the Olympiapark. Check train times on bahn.de on the day of travel.
- 5:30 pm: Serbia against Uruguay, the first match of the day.
- After that match: opening ceremony, according to the Olympiapark press release.
- 8:30 pm: Germany against Tunisia.
Mistakes to avoid
- Confusing it with the women’s championship. Search suggestions mix up the two tournaments. This one is the men’s tournament, the 30th edition organised by the IHF.
- Believing in a co-hosting. An AI-generated answer describes a co-hosting with France. That concerns the 2029 World Championship. For 2027, Germany is the only host.
- Looking for Munich matches at the Olympiahalle. An AI-generated answer names this arena. The official pages name the SAP Garden.
- Buying from a reseller. The federation warns against third-party platforms, where prices can be heavily inflated.
- Treating French match times as final. They stay provisional until the French rights holders confirm them.
What other guides don’t tell you
The following points are missing from the answers generated by the AI search engines we checked. Each one links to an official source consulted on 7 November 2026.
- The host country is unique. There is no co-hosting for 2027, and Denmark and Croatia are teams. IHF, 2027 competition page (checked 7 November 2026).
- The dates of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are set. The quarter-finals are on 26 and 27 January, the semi-finals on 29 January, and the final on 31 January, all in Cologne. IHF, draw news (checked 7 November 2026).
- The President’s Cup is played in Magdeburg. It brings together the teams ranked 25th to 32nd. handball2027.com, playing system (checked 7 November 2026).
- Ticket sales have known dates. Pre-sale opened on 15 December 2025, and phase 4 is announced for 1 December 2026 at 12:00 pm. DHB Verbandsbüro, 4 June 2026 (checked 7 November 2026).
- Germany’s matches in Munich have a per-person limit. A maximum of five tickets per person per match day, in Munich. Olympiapark, 2027 event (checked 7 November 2026).
Entering Germany and getting around
Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and it must expire at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area. Read the full passport rules on GOV.UK before you travel.
British citizens need no visa for tourist or family visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Days spent in other Schengen countries in the previous 180 days count towards those 90.
Internal border controls have been tightened since May 2025, which can slow trains and cross-border roads. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES), running since October 2025, may require you to register your fingerprints and a photo at the border. The EU’s ETIAS travel authorisation has no confirmed start date: check GOV.UK before you travel. The end date of the German controls could not be verified, so it is not given here.
Cologne to Munich takes about 4 h 18 to 5 h 36, usually with a change to an ICE (indicative bahn.de timetables from March and April 2026, to be reconfirmed on the day of publication). Check times on bahn.de on the day of travel.
No accommodation rate was checked for the six cities, and the tourist tax has not been verified. This article does not offer any accommodation link.
Source: GOV.UK, Germany: entry requirements, checked on 7 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the 2027 handball World Championship take place?
Only in Germany, across six cities. Munich, Stuttgart, Kiel and Magdeburg host the group stage, Hanover and Cologne the main round, and Cologne the final stage. The arenas range from 6,200 seats in Stuttgart to 19,250 seats in Cologne, according to Wikipedia and handball2027.com.
Is the tournament co-hosted with Denmark or Croatia?
No. Germany is the only host country for the 2027 edition. Denmark, the reigning world champion, and Croatia are qualified teams: Denmark plays in Kiel, Croatia in Munich. An AI-generated answer describes a co-hosting with France, but that concerns the 2029 tournament.
What is the date of the final?
The final is on Sunday 31 January 2027 in Cologne, at the LANXESS arena. The semi-finals are on 29 January and the quarter-finals on 26 and 27 January. The main round, in Cologne and Hanover, runs from 20 to 25 January, according to Visit Hannover.
When does France play?
France plays in Group D, in Stuttgart. It faces Kuwait on 14 January at 8:30 pm, Brazil on 16 January at 6:00 pm, then Argentina on 18 January at 8:30 pm. These times are provisional and still have to be confirmed with the French rights holders. Check them on handball2027.com before you book.
When and how do you buy tickets?
Tickets are sold only on handball2027.com, the official shop. Pre-sale opened on 15 December 2025 at 12:00 pm. Phase 3, on 4 September 2026, has passed. A phase 4 is announced for 1 December 2026 at 12:00 pm, for leftover quotas, but it still has to be confirmed on the site.
How much does a ticket cost?
There is no official 2027 price grid yet. Two starting prices were found: €20.50 for a day ticket in Stuttgart, according to Stuttgart Tourismus, on an undated page checked on 7 November 2026; and €25 in Munich, reserved for wheelchair users according to Heidelberg24 (28 December 2025). Prices from past tournaments do not apply to this edition.
Do British visitors need a visa for Germany?
No. British citizens can visit Germany without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism or family visits. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area. Border checks are tighter, and the EU Entry/Exit System may require you to register your fingerprints and a photo, according to GOV.UK.
Can you see a Germany match in Munich?
Yes, but availability is contradictory. Germany’s three group matches in Munich are set for 8:30 pm: 13 January against Tunisia, 15 January against Uruguay and 17 January against Serbia. The SAP Garden announced them as sold out, excluding hospitality, in January 2026, while an Olympiapark page still shows a limited quantity. Check sales on handball2027.com.
Sources
- IHF, 2027 competition page : format, dates and host country.
- IHF, draw news : final stage, President’s Cup, groups.
- IHF, new tickets : sales phase 3, 4 September 2026.
- handball2027.com : official tournament site and ticket shop.
- handball2027.com, playing system and schedule : arena capacities.
- Olympiapark München, 2027 event : five-ticket limit per person and per match day.
- Olympiapark München, press release of 18 June 2026 : Munich match times.
- muenchen.de, SAP Garden : day ticket in Munich.
- DHB Verbandsbüro, tickets and venues (15 December 2025) : pre-sale, group tickets, official sales channel.
- DHB Verbandsbüro, ticket phases (4 June 2026) : phase 4 and tickets sold.
- GOV.UK, Germany: entry requirements : passport, visa, border checks.
- Visit Hannover, information : ZAG arena and main round.
- Stuttgart Tourismus, Handball World Championship 2027 : starting prices and Porsche-Arena address.
- Wettfreunde, chronological calendar : provisional match times for France.
- Wikipedia (EN), 2027 World Men’s Handball Championship : capacities and number of matches.
Sources checked on 7 November 2026. Times, prices and dates are those recorded on that date.
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