In January 2027, the entire handball world will be watching closely as Germany hosts the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship. From 13 to 31 January, the world's top handball nations will compete for the title of world champions. But who are the favorites? Who are the star players? And which coaches will be leading the top nations? Here is an overview. Today’s focus: Portugal.
Two brothers in the spotlight at the 2027 World Championship
Portugal has arrived among the extended elite of international handball. The nation has evolved from a mid-level team into a genuine medal contender. This rise is closely linked to the Costa family: brothers Francisco and Martim, along with their father Ricardo Costa. Martim and Francisco both play for Sporting CP, while their father coaches the team. Together, they led the club to the quarterfinals of the EHF Champions League last season. Time to take a closer look at the two brothers:
The older of the two is Martim Costa. The 23-year-old operates in the left back position. He made his debut for Portugal’s senior national team in 2022 at just 20 years of age and has since become a key player. He is regularly among the top scorers at European and World Championships. At the last major tournament on German soil – the EHF EURO 2024 – he scored 54 goals and shared the top scorer title with Mathias Gidsel.
On the right side of the attack is his younger brother Francisco. Many experts believe that the 21-year-old may even be more talented than his older sibling. He made his senior national team debut alongside his brother at the age of 17. Like Martim, the right back stands out with his scoring ability. He finished second in the scoring charts at the IHF Men’s World Championship 2025 and third at the EHF EURO 2026. Both brothers play a crucial role in the success of Sporting CP and the Portuguese national team.
Beyond the Costa brothers, Portugal boasts several other key players. Line player Luís Frade of FC Barcelona, defensive specialist Salvador Salvador of Sporting CP and goalkeeper Diogo Rêma Marques are all central figures in the team’s performance.
Continuity on the bench
Talented players alone do not make a strong team. An experienced coach is essential to bring out strengths and cover weaknesses. For Portugal, that responsibility lies with Paulo Pereira.
He will celebrate a milestone in 2027: his tenth year as head coach of the Portuguese national team. Pereira has been in charge since 2016, with only a brief interruption in 2019. Since his return, the 61-year-old has successfully combined experienced players with a steady stream of emerging talents from Portugal’s strong youth system. This team chemistry has been a key factor behind the nation’s recent success.
Pereira’s extensive experience is a major asset. He has been coaching handball teams for over 30 years and has worked in seven different countries:
- Angola
- Kuwait
- Portugal
- Romania
- Spain
- Slovenia
- Tunisia
Alongside his national team duties, he has been coaching Romanian Champions League side CS Dinamo București since the 2025/26 season. However, in January 2027, his full focus will be on the World Championship in Germany, where he aims to guide his team to a medal in Cologne.
A team on the rise
The IHF Men’s World Championship 2027 will mark Portugal’s 17th appearance at a major international tournament. The team has competed in ten European Championships, six World Championships and once at the Olympic Games, finishing ninth in Tokyo 2020.
Portugal’s greatest success came at the most recent World Championship. In a memorable quarter-final, they defeated Germany 31:30 after extra time. However, they fell to Denmark in the semi-final and to France in the bronze medal match.
Previous World Championship results:
- 1997 – 19th place
- 2001 – 16th place
- 2003 – 12th place
- 2021 – 10th place
- 2023 – 13th place
At the European Championships, Portugal has traditionally reached the main round, with their best results being seventh place in 2000 and 2024, sixth in 2020 and most recently fifth at the EHF EURO 2026.
The trend is clear: Portugal is steadily improving at major tournaments. As a result, they are a serious contender in the race for a semi-final spot at the IHF Men’s World Championship 2027.
This time, the journey should end in Cologne
Portugal has already secured qualification for the tournament thanks to their fifth-place finish at the EHF EURO 2026. In January 2027, they are determined to repeat their semi-final run from the 2025 World Championship. Their ultimate destination: the LANXESS Arena in Cologne.
At their last appearance in Germany, during the EHF EURO 2024, Portugal fell short of reaching Cologne, exiting the tournament after the main round in Hamburg. This time, they aim to go further.
Their journey will begin in Magdeburg. As the top-seeded team in Group F, Portugal will play their preliminary round matches at the GETEC Arena. If they progress to the main round, they will face teams from another group featuring Sweden as the top seed, with matches taking place at the ZAG Arena in Hanover.
The preliminary round opponents will be drawn on 10 June 2026 at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich.