View source for 2009 World Men's Handball Championship

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox international handball competition
| tourney_name = World Men's Handball Championship
| year = 2009
| yearr =
| other_titles = Svjetsko prvenstvo u rukometu 2009. {{in lang|hr}}
| image = Croatia 2009 World Handball.png
| size = 300px
| caption =
| country = Croatia
| dates = 16 January – 1 February
| num_teams = 24
| confederations = 5
| venues = 7
| cities = 7
| champion = France
| count = 3
| second = Croatia
| third = Poland
| fourth = Denmark
| matches = 110
| goals = 6090
| attendance = 392550
| top_scorer = {{flagathlete|[[Kiril Lazarov]]|MKD}}<br><small>(92 goals)</small>
| player = {{flagathlete|[[Igor Vori]]|CRO}}
| previous = 2007 World Men's Handball Championship
| next = 2011 World Men's Handball Championship
}}
The '''2009 [[World Men's Handball Championship]]''' was the 21st edition of the tournament that took place in [[Croatia]] from 16 January to 1 February, in the cities of [[Split, Croatia|Split]], [[Zadar]], [[Osijek]], [[Varaždin]], [[Poreč]], [[Zagreb]] and [[Pula]]. Croatia was selected from a group of four potential hosts which included the [[Czech Republic]], [[Greece]] and [[Romania]].

The opening game and ceremony were held in Split, and the final game was played in Zagreb. [[France men's national handball team|France]] won the tournament after defeating [[Croatia men's national handball team|Croatia]] in the final. [[Poland men's national handball team|Poland]] took the third place after winning over [[Denmark men's national handball team|Denmark]]. Tickets for the tournament went on sale from 15 to 20 November.<ref>[http://sportal.vecernji.hr/vld/sportal/ostalo/rukomet/3193753/index.do Ulaznica za finale Svjetskog prvenstva 700 kuna]{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{in lang|hr}}</ref> For the finals, ticket prices started at 700 [[Croatian kuna|kuna]] (c. €95). To promote the tournament, the [[Croatian National Tourist Board]] launched a series of presentations in the capitals of 13 participating countries.<ref>[http://sportnet.hr/Vijest.aspx?ID=367634 Krenule rukometno-turističke prezentacije] {{in lang|hr}}</ref>

During the championship internal criticism arose against [[Hassan Moustafa (handballer)|Hassan Moustafa]], President of the [[International Handball Federation|IHF]]. The secretary general of the IHF, [[Peter Mühlematter]], criticized Moustafa and asked for his demission. Moustafa asked to exclude Mühlematter after his criticism.<ref>[http://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/;art272,2715347 Kritiker vor dem Ausschluss IHF-Generalsekretär ist im Verband isoliert] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121174844/http://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/ |date=21 January 2009 }} {{in lang|de}}</ref><ref>[http://www.sueddeutsche.de/855384/681/2725431/Moustafa-soll-gehen.html Moustafa soll gehen] {{in lang|de}}</ref><ref>[http://www.focus.de/sport/mehrsport/handball-wm-muehlematter-legt-moustafa-ruecktritt-nahe_aid_364076.html Mühlematter legt Moustafa Rücktritt nahe] {{in lang|de}}</ref><ref>[http://sport.zdf.de/ZDFsport/inhalt/12/0,5676,7507532,00.html?dr=1 Mühlematter fordert Moustafas Rücktritt] {{in lang|de}}</ref><ref>[http://sport.zdf.de/ZDFsport/inhalt/27/0,5676,7507739,00.html?dr=1 Handball Doping: "Da wird ohne Ende gelogen"] {{in lang|de}}</ref>

==Venues==
Seven Croatian cities were selected as hosts for the 2009 Championship: [[Split, Croatia|Split]], [[Zadar]], [[Osijek]], [[Varaždin]], [[Poreč]], [[Zagreb]] and [[Pula]]. The sites included the new [[Spaladium Arena]] in Split and [[Arena Zagreb]], where the final took place.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; "
|-
! Zagreb
! Varaždin
! Osijek
|-
| [[Arena Zagreb]]<br>Capacity: 15,024
| [[Varaždin Arena]]<br>Capacity: 5,200
| [[Gradski vrt Hall]]<br>Capacity: 3,538
|-
| [[File:Arena Zagreb 2009.jpg|150px]]
| [[Image:Sport Hall Varaždin.jpg|150px]]
| [[Image:Dvorana Gradski vrt 1.jpg|150px]]
|-
! Poreč
|colspan="2" rowspan="6" | {{location map+ |Croatia |float= center |width= 300 |caption= |places=
{{location map~ |Croatia |lat=45.816667 |long=15.983333 |label=[[Zagreb]]}}
{{location map~ |Croatia |lat=43.5 |long=16.433333 |label=[[Split, Croatia|Split]]}}
{{location map~ |Croatia |lat=45.557531 |long=18.679589 |label=[[Osijek]]}}
{{location map~ |Croatia |lat=46.3 |long=16.333333 |label=[[Varaždin]]}}
{{location map~ |Croatia |lat=44.114167 |long=15.227778 |label=[[Zadar]]}}
{{location map~ |Croatia |lat=45.216667 |long=13.583333 |label=[[Poreč]]}}
{{location map~ |Croatia |lat=44.866667 |long=13.85 |label=[[Pula]]}}
}}
|-
| [[Žatika Sport Centre]]<br>Capacity: 3,500
|-
| 
|-
! Pula
|-
| [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]]<br>Capacity: 2,132
|-
| [[Image:Dom sportova Mate Parlov 29-Dec-08 east.JPG|150px]]
|-
|rowspan=3|
! Zadar
! Split
|-
| [[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]]<br>Capacity: 8,600
| [[Spaladium Arena]]<br>Capacity: 10,941
|-
| [[Image:Dvorana Visnjik Zadar.jpg|150px]]
| [[File:Spaladium Arena 1.JPG|150px]]
|-
|}

==Qualification==
[[Image:Croatia 2009 qualified.PNG|thumb|right|500px|Qualified nations]]
Qualification occurred through the previous years' continental championships or qualifying tournaments:
* Host (1 vacancy)
* World Champion (1 vacancy)
* [[2008 African Men's Handball Championship]] (3 vacancies)
* [[2008 American Handball Championship]] (3 vacancies)
* [[2008 Asian Handball Championship]] (3 vacancies)
* [[2008 European Men's Handball Championship]] (3 vacancies)
* 2008 European qualifiers play-off (9 vacancies)
* 2008 Oceania qualifying tournament (1 vacancy)

{{clear}}

===European qualifiers play-off===
{{TwoLeg start}}
{{TwoLegResult|{{hb-rt|SLO}}||62–63|'''{{hb|SVK}}'''||33–33|29–30}}
{{TwoLegResult|'''{{hb-rt|ESP}}'''||63–56|{{hb|GRE}}||32–24|31–32}}
{{TwoLegResult|'''{{hb-rt|NOR}}'''||61–52|{{hb|UKR}}||29–22|32–30}}
{{TwoLegResult|{{hb-rt|BLR}}||56–60|'''{{hb|RUS}}'''||26–26|30–34}}
{{TwoLegResult|{{hb-rt|MNE}}||55–56|'''{{hb|ROU}}'''||31–27|24–29}}
{{TwoLegResult|{{hb-rt|CZE}}||62–62|'''{{hb|SRB|2004}}'''||38–33|24–29}}
{{TwoLegResult|'''{{hb-rt|POL}}'''||54–48|{{hb|SUI}}||32–24|22–24}}
{{TwoLegResult|'''{{hb-rt|HUN}}'''||''54–49''|{{hb|BIH}}||27–25|27–24<ref name="lcd">{{cite news|title=Official Statement III
|publisher=[[European Handball Federation|EHF]]|url=https://www.eurohandball.com/en/news/en/official-statement-iii/|access-date=9 September 2020}}</ref>}}
{{TwoLegResult|'''{{hb-rt|MKD|name=Macedonia}}'''||58–56|{{hb|ISL}}||34–26|24–30}}
|}

==Seeding==
The draw for the groups of the preliminary round was held on 21 June 2008, in Zagreb. The draw took place at Zagreb's central [[Ban Jelačić Square]] and was hosted by Filip Brkić and [[Kristina Krepela]].<ref>[http://www.hrs.hr/novosti.php?id_novost=1195 Izvlačenje skupina na Trgu bana Jelačića] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627192358/http://www.hrs.hr/novosti.php?id_novost=1195 |date=27 June 2008 }} {{in lang|hr}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width=16%|Pot 1
!width=16%|Pot 2
!width=16%|Pot 3
!width=16%|Pot 4
!width=16%|Pot 5
!width=16%|Pot 6
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|
* {{hb|CRO}}<br>''(hosts)''
* {{hb|GER}}<br>''(defending [[2007 World Men's Handball Championship|World Champions]])''
* {{hb|DEN}}<br>''(champions of [[2008 European Men's Handball Championship|Europe]])''
* {{hb|FRA}}<br>''(3rd from Europe)''<ref name="Euro">Runners-up Croatia and 4th-placed Germany had already secured their places at the World Championship before the European Championship.</ref>
|
* {{hb|SWE}}<br>''(5th from Europe)''<ref name="Euro" />
* {{hb|NOR}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''
* {{hb|POL}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''
* {{hb|HUN}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''<ref name="lcd" />
|
* {{hb|ESP}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''
* {{hb|SVK}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''
* {{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}}<br>''(euro playoff)''
* {{hb|EGY}}<br>''(champion of [[African Handball Nations Championship|Africa]])''
|
* {{hb|ROU}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''
* {{hb|RUS}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''
* {{hb|KOR|1997}}<br>''(champions of [[2008 Asian Handball Championship|Asia]])''
* {{hb|BRA}}<br>''(champions of [[2008 American Handball Championship|America]])''
|
* {{hb|SRB|2004}}<br>''(Euro playoff)''
* {{hb|TUN}}<br>''(2nd from Africa)''
* {{hb|KUW}}<br>''(2nd from Asia)''
* {{hb|ARG}}<br>''(2nd from America)''
|
* {{hb|AUS}}<br>''(Oceania qualifiers)''
* {{hb|ALG}}<br>''(3rd from Africa)''
* {{hb|KSA}}<br>''(3rd from Asia)''
* {{hb|CUB}}<br>''(3rd from America)''
|}

==Squads==
{{main|2009 World Men's Handball Championship squads}}

Each nation had to submit a squad of 16 players.

==Referees==
On 12 October 2008, the match officials for the tournament were confirmed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportnet.hr/Vijest.aspx?ID=366564|title=Imenovani suci za rukometno SP|website=sportnet.hr|language=hr|date=12 October 2008|access-date=9 September 2020}}</ref> But due to injury, the Swedish referee couple Rickard Canbro and Mikael Claesson had to withdraw from the championship, and was replaced by Danish couple Per Olesen and Lars Ejby Pedersen.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ihf.info/front_content.php?idcat=57&idart=1610|title=2009 Men's World Championship in Croatia: updated list of referees|publisher=[[International Handball Federation|IHF]]|date=17 December 2008|access-date=9 September 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223023444/http://www.ihf.info/front_content.php?idcat=57&idart=1610|archive-date=23 December 2008}}</ref>
{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 350px;"
|-
! colspan=2|Referees
|-
| {{BLR}} || Andrei Gousko<br>Siarhei Repkin
|-
| {{BRA}} || Jesus Nilson Aires Menezes<br>Rogério Aparecido Pinto
|-
| {{CRO}} || Matija Gubica<br>Boris Milošević
|-
| {{CZE}} || Jiří Opava<br>Pavěl Válek
|-
| {{DEN}} || Martin Gjeding<br>Mads Hansen
|-
| {{DEN}} || Per Olesen<br>Lars Ejby Pedersen
|-
| {{EGY}} || Moustafa El-Moamli<br>Mohamed Shaaban
|-
| {{FRA}} || Nordine Lazaar<br>Laurent Reveret
|-
| {{GER}} || Frank Lemme<br>Bernd Ullrich
|}
{{col-3}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 350px;"
|-
! colspan=2|Referees
|-
| {{IRI}} || Mohsen Karbaschi<br>Majid Kolahdouzan
|-
| {{LTU}} || Mindaugas Gatelis<br>Vaidas Mažeika
|-
| {{POL}} || Mirosław Baum<br>Marek Góralczyk
|-
| {{POR}} || Ivan Caçador<br>Eurico Nicolau
|-
| {{ROM}} || Constantin Din<br>Sorin-Laurenţiu Dinu
|-
| {{flag|Serbia|2004}} || Zoran Stanojević<br>Slobodan Višekruna
|-
| {{SLO}} || Nenad Krstič (referee)|Nenad Krstič<br>Peter Ljubič
|-
! colspan=2|Withdrawn due to injury
|-
| {{SWE}} || Rickard Canbro<br>Mikael Claesson
|}
{{col-3}}
[[File:Lemme Ullrich 02.jpg|thumb|German officials Bernd Ullrich (left) and Frank Lemme (right) refereed the opening match between Croatia and South Korea on 16 January.]]
{{col-end}}

==Preliminary round==
[[Image:Maskota CROATIA2009.jpg|thumb|upright|'''Ruksi''', the [[caterpillar]] [[mascot]].<ref>[http://www.croatia2009.com/eng_news.php?id=120 My name is Ruksi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217171906/http://www.croatia2009.com/eng_news.php?id=120 |date=17 December 2008 }} ''croatia2009.com''</ref>]]

''All times are local [[Central European Time|UTC+1]].''

===Group A===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_FRA=5|draw_FRA=0|loss_FRA=0|gf_FRA=168|ga_FRA=106
|win_SVK=3|draw_SVK=1|loss_SVK=1|gf_SVK=152|ga_SVK=119
|win_HUN=3|draw_HUN=1|loss_HUN=1|gf_HUN=148|ga_HUN=115
|win_ROU=2|draw_ROU=0|loss_ROU=3|gf_ROU=141|ga_ROU=135
|win_ARG=1|draw_ARG=0|loss_ARG=4|gf_ARG=133|ga_ARG=137
|win_AUS=0|draw_AUS=0|loss_AUS=5|gf_AUS=76 |ga_AUS=206

|hth_HUN=Hungary 24–24 Slovakia
|hth_SVK=HUN

|team1=FRA|name_FRA={{hb|FRA}}
|team2=SVK|name_SVK={{hb|SVK}}
|team3=HUN|name_HUN={{hb|HUN}}
|team4=ROU|name_ROU={{hb|ROU}}
|team5=ARG|name_ARG={{hb|ARG}}
|team6=AUS|name_AUS={{hb|AUS}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|res_col_header=Q
|result1=A |result2=A |result3=A
|col_A=green1 |text_A=[[#Main round|Main round]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SVK}}
|score= 27–25
|team2= {{hb|ARG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/4.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Martin Straňovský|Straňovský]] 7
|goals2= [[Eric Gull|Gull]] 5
|HT= 12–13
|twomin1= 7
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Olesen, Pedersen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|HUN}}
|score= 41–17
|team2= {{hb|AUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/8.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Tamás Iváncsik|Iváncsik]], [[Szabolcs Zubai|Zubai]] 7
|goals2= [[Tommy Fletcher (handballer)|Fletcher]] 8
|HT= 20–8
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 1
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan
|refnat= IRI
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|FRA}}
|score= 31–21
|team2= {{hb|ROU}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/12.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Michaël Guigou|Guigou]], [[Nikola Karabatić|Karabatić]] 7
|goals2= [[Laurentiu Mihai Toma|Toma]] 5
|HT= 12–9
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|AUS}}
|score= 12–47
|team2= {{hb|SVK}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/13.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Tommy Fletcher (handballer)|Fletcher]] 6
|goals2= [[Radoslav Antl|Antl]] 8
|HT= 6–20
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ROU}}
|score= 27–30
|team2= {{hb|HUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/17.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Eremia Pîrîianu|Pîrîianu]] 6
|goals2= [[László Nagy (handballer)|Nagy]] 8
|HT= 16–13
|twomin1= 1
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Olesen, Pedersen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 19:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ARG}}
|score= 26–33
|team2= {{hb|FRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/21.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Andrés Kogovsek|Kogovsek]], [[Damián Migueles|Migueles]] 5
|goals2= [[Michaël Guigou|Guigou]] 7
|HT= 15–19
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 1
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 2,500
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|ROU}}
|score= 30–26
|team2= {{hb|ARG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/25.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Valentin Ghionea|Ghionea]] 9
|goals2= [[Andrés Kogovsek|Kogovsek]] 7
|HT= 15–13
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan
|refnat= IRI
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|HUN}}
|score= 24–24
|team2= {{hb|SVK}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/29.pdf Report]
|goals1= ''three players'' 5
|goals2= [[František Šulc (handballer, born 1978)|Šulc]] 9
|HT=12–6
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 2,500
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 19:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|FRA}}
|score= 42–11
|team2= {{hb|AUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/33.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Luc Abalo|Abalo]] 10
|goals2= [[Tommy Fletcher (handballer)|Fletcher]] 4
|HT= 20–3
|twomin1=
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Olesen, Pedersen
|refnat= DEN
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|AUS}}
|score= 20–40
|team2= {{hb|ROU}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/37.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[James Blondell|Blondell]] 8
|goals2= [[Marian Cozma|Cozma]] 10
|HT= 9–21
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|HUN}}
|score= 31–20
|team2= {{hb|ARG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/41.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Tamás Mocsai|Mocsai]] 6
|goals2= [[Andrés Kogovsek|Kogovsek]], [[Eric Gull|Gull]] 4
|HT= 17–8
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 19:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|SVK}}
|score= 26–35
|team2= {{hb|FRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/45.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Radoslav Antl|Antl]] 7
|goals2= [[Nikola Karabatić|Karabatić]] 9
|HT= 9–15
|twomin1= 7
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 2,500
|referee= Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan
|refnat= IRI
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ARG}}
|score= 36–16
|team2= {{hb|AUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/49.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Facundo Torres (handballer)|Torres]] 7
|goals2= [[Tommy Fletcher (handballer)|Fletcher]] 4
|HT= 15–8
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 1
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|SVK}}
|score= 28–23
|team2= {{hb|ROU}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/53.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Peter Kukučka|Kukučka]] 8
|goals2= [[Valentin Ghionea|Ghionea]], [[Eremia Pîrîianu|Pîrîianu]] 5
|HT= 12–13
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Olesen, Pedersen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 19:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|FRA}}
|score= 27–22
|team2= {{hb|HUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/57.pdf Report]
|goals1= ''three players'' 5
|goals2= [[Gyula Gál|Gál]] 5
|HT= 13–8
|twomin1=
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 1
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Gradski vrt Hall]], [[Osijek]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}

===Group B===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_CRO=5|draw_CRO=0|loss_CRO=0|gf_CRO=170|ga_CRO=115|status_CRO=H
|win_SWE=4|draw_SWE=0|loss_SWE=1|gf_SWE=162|ga_SWE=118
|win_KOR=3|draw_KOR=0|loss_KOR=2|gf_KOR=140|ga_KOR=126
|win_ESP=2|draw_ESP=0|loss_ESP=3|gf_ESP=167|ga_ESP=127
|win_CUB=1|draw_CUB=0|loss_CUB=4|gf_CUB=106|ga_CUB=181
|win_KUW=0|draw_KUW=0|loss_KUW=5|gf_KUW=99 |ga_KUW=177

|team1=CRO|name_CRO={{hb|CRO}}
|team2=SWE|name_SWE={{hb|SWE}}
|team3=KOR|name_KOR={{hb|KOR|1997}}
|team4=ESP|name_ESP={{hb|ESP}}
|team5=CUB|name_CUB={{hb|CUB}}
|team6=KUW|name_KUW={{hb|KUW}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|res_col_header=Q
|result1=A |result2=A |result3=A
|col_A=green1 |text_A=[[#Main round|Main round]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 16 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|CRO}}
|score= 27–26
|team2= {{hb|KOR|1997}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/1.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Ivan Čupić|Čupić]] 8
|goals2= [[Park Jung-geu|Park J.]], [[Sim Jae-bok|Sim]] 5
|HT= 14–13
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 12,000
|referee= Lemme, Ullrich
|refnat= GER
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|ESP}}
|score= 47–17
|team2= {{hb|KUW}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/5.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Juanín García|García]], [[Albert Rocas|Rocas]] 7
|goals2= [[Husain Al-Shamari|H. Al-Shamari]] 5
|HT= 18–9
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 8,000
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SWE}}
|score= 41–14
|team2= {{hb|CUB}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/9.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Jonas Källman|Källman]], [[Jan Lennartsson|Lennartsson]] 6
|goals2= [[Randy Díaz|Díaz]] 5
|HT= 19–7
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= El-Moamli, Shaaban
|refnat= EGY
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|CUB}}
|score= 20–45
|team2= {{hb|ESP}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/16.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Yailan Echevarría|Echevarría]] 5
|goals2= [[Juanín García|García]] 9
|HT= 10–24
|twomin1= 8
|yellow1= 2
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|KOR|1997}}
|score= 25–31
|team2= {{hb|SWE}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/20.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Lee Jae-woo (handballer)|Lee J.]], [[Park Jung-geu|Park J.]] 6
|goals2= [[Jonas Källman|Källman]] 10
|HT= 12–16
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 10
|yellow2= 4
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Din, Dinu
|refnat= ROU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|KUW}}
|score= 21–40
|team2= {{hb|CRO}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/24.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mohammad Al-Gharaballi|Al-Gharaballi]], [[Mahdi Al-Qallaf|Al-Qallaf]] 5
|goals2= [[Goran Šprem|Šprem]] 8
|HT= 13–22
|twomin1= 9
|yellow1= 2
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 10,000
|referee= El-Moamli, Shaaban
|refnat= EGY
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|KOR|1997}}
|score= 34–19
|team2= {{hb|KUW}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/27.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Yoon Ci-yeol|Yoon]] 7
|goals2= ''five players'' 3
|HT= 15–9
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Din, Dinu
|refnat= ROU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SWE}}
|score= 34–30
|team2= {{hb|ESP}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/31.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Dalibor Doder|Doder]] 11
|goals2= [[Iker Romero|Romero]] 11
|HT= 19–13
|twomin1= 7
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 5,000
|referee= Lemme, Ullrich
|refnat= GER
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|CRO}}
|score= 41–20
|team2= {{hb|CUB}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/35.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Ivan Čupić|Čupić]] 11
|goals2= [[Frankis Carol|Carol]], [[Yailan Echevarría|Echevarría]] 5
|HT= 20–9
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 7
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 11,800
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|CUB}}
|score= 26–31
|team2= {{hb|KOR|1997}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/39.pdf Report]
|goals1= ''five players'' 4
|goals2= [[Lee Jae-Woo (handballer)|Lee J.]] 10
|HT= 13–17
|twomin1= 10
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Lemme, Ullrich
|refnat= GER
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SWE}}
|score= 30–19
|team2= {{hb|KUW}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/43.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Jonas Larholm|Larholm]] 6
|goals2= [[Sameh Al-Hajeri|Al-Hajeri]] 5
|HT= 17–9
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 6,000
|referee= El-Moamli, Shaaban
|refnat= EGY
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|ESP}}
|score= 22–32
|team2= {{hb|CRO}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/47.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Iker Romero|Romero]] 5
|goals2= [[Domagoj Duvnjak|Duvnjak]] 7
|HT= 11–18
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 8
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 12,000
|referee= Din, Dinu
|refnat= ROU
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|KUW}}
|score= 23–26
|team2= {{hb|CUB}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/52.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Faisl Al-Shamari|F. Al-Shamari]], [[Husain Al-Shamari|H. Al-Shamari]] 5
|goals2= [[Frankis Carol|Carol]] 8
|HT= 9–12
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|ESP}}
|score= 23–24
|team2= {{hb|KOR|1997}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/56.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Albert Rocas|Rocas]], [[Iker Romero|Romero]] 5
|goals2= [[Oh Yun-suk|Oh Y.]] 6
|HT= 15–14
|twomin1= 1
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 8,000
|referee= Din, Dinu
|refnat= ROU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|CRO}}
|score= 30–26
|team2= {{hb|SWE}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/60.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Ivan Čupić|Čupić]] 8
|goals2= [[Dalibor Doder|Doder]], [[Jonas Larholm|Larholm]] 7
|HT= 14–13
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 12,000
|referee= Lemme, Ullrich
|refnat= GER
}}

===Group C===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_GER=4|draw_GER=1|loss_GER=0|gf_GER=147|ga_GER=116
|win_MKD=3|draw_MKD=0|loss_MKD=2|gf_MKD=145|ga_MKD=136
|win_POL=3|draw_POL=0|loss_POL=2|gf_POL=146|ga_POL=131
|win_RUS=2|draw_RUS=1|loss_RUS=2|gf_RUS=143|ga_RUS=145
|win_TUN=2|draw_TUN=0|loss_TUN=3|gf_TUN=143|ga_TUN=142
|win_ALG=0|draw_ALG=0|loss_ALG=5|gf_ALG=114|ga_ALG=168

|hth_MKD=Poland 29–30 Macedonia
|hth_POL=MKD

|team1=GER|name_GER={{hb|GER}}
|team2=MKD|name_MKD={{hb|MKD|name=North Macedonia}}
|team3=POL|name_POL={{hb|POL}}
|team4=RUS|name_RUS={{hb|RUS}}
|team5=TUN|name_TUN={{hb|TUN}}
|team6=ALG|name_ALG={{hb|ALG}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|res_col_header=Q
|result1=A |result2=A |result3=A
|col_A=green1 |text_A=[[#Main round|Main round]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|POL}}
|score= 39–22
|team2= {{hb|ALG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/2.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mariusz Jurasik|Jurasik]], [[Tomasz Tłuczyński|Tłuczyński]] 6
|goals2= [[Omar Chehbour|Chehbour]] 6
|HT= 17–8
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 7
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|GER}}
|score= 26–26
|team2= {{hb|RUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/6.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Pascal Hens|Hens]] 9
|goals2= [[Konstantin Igropulo|Igropulo]], [[Alexey Rastvortsev|Rastvortsev]] 5
|HT= 15–14
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 9
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 4,600
|referee= Gjeding, Hansen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 19:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|score= 24–25
|team2= {{hb|TUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/10.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 9
|goals2= [[Issam Tej|Tej]] 6
|HT= 14–13
|twomin1= 1
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 4
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Caçador, Nicolau
|refnat= POR
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|ALG}}
|score= 19–32
|team2= {{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/14.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Omar Chehbour|Chehbour]] 6
|goals2= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 9
|HT= 8–16
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 2,000
|referee= Gjeding, Hansen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|TUN}}
|score= 24–26
|team2= {{hb|GER}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/18.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Aymen Hammed|Hammed]] 9
|goals2= [[Pascal Hens|Hens]] 6
|HT= 12–12
|twomin1= 7
|yellow1= 2
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 19:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|RUS}}
|score= 22–24
|team2= {{hb|POL}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/22.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Konstantin Igropulo|Igropulo]] 6
|goals2= ''three players'' 4
|HT= 14–11
|twomin1= 10
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 2
|twomin2= 7
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Krstič, Ljubič
|refnat= SLO
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|POL}}
|score= 29–30
|team2= {{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/26.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Karol Bielecki|Bielecki]], [[Marcin Lijewski|M. Lijewski]] 7
|goals2= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 13
|HT= 15–16
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Caçador, Nicolau
|refnat= POR
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|GER}}
|score= 32–20
|team2= {{hb|ALG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/30.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Torsten Jansen|Jansen]] 6
|goals2= [[Abderrahim Berriah|Berriah]] 8
|HT= 16–10
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Krstič, Ljubič
|refnat= SLO
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 19:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|RUS}}
|score= 36–31
|team2= {{hb|TUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/34.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Vasily Filippov|Filippov]], [[Dmitry Kovalyov (handballer)|Kovalyov]] 7
|goals2= [[Jaleleddine Touati|Touati]] 9
|HT= 16–11
|twomin1= 7
|yellow1= 2
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Gjeding, Hansen
|refnat= DEN
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|ALG}}
|score= 28–29
|team2= {{hb|RUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/38.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Hichem Boudrali|Boudrali]] 6
|goals2= [[Vasily Filippov|Filippov]] 9
|HT= 14–17
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 2,000
|referee= Caçador, Nicolau
|refnat= POR
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|score= 23–33
|team2= {{hb|GER}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/42.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 9
|goals2= [[Holger Glandorf|Glandorf]] 9
|HT= 14–13
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 7
|yellow2= 3
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 3,800
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 19:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|POL}}
|score= 31–27
|team2= {{hb|TUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/46.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Tomasz Tłuczyński|Tłuczyński]] 11
|goals2= [[Slim Hedoui|Hedoui]] 6
|HT= 16–11
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 9
|yellow2= 4
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 800
|referee= Krstič, Ljubič
|refnat= SLO
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|score= 36–30
|team2= {{hb|RUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/50.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 13
|goals2= [[Konstantin Igropulo|Igropulo]] 13
|HT= 15–14
|twomin1= 10
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 7
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 4,000
|referee= Gjeding, Hansen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|GER}}
|score= 30–23
|team2= {{hb|POL}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/54.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Michael Kraus (handballer)|Kraus]] 7
|goals2= [[Tomasz Tłuczyński|Tłuczyński]] 6
|HT= 14–11
|twomin1= 9
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 4,000
|referee= Caçador, Nicolau
|refnat= POR
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 19:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|TUN}}
|score= 36–25
|team2= {{hb|ALG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/58.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Jaleleddine Touati|Touati]] 12
|goals2= [[Yacine Bouakaz|Bouakaz]] 5
|HT= 18–11
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 9
|yellow2= 2
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Varaždin Arena]], [[Varaždin]]
|attendance= 300
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}

===Group D===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_DEN=5|draw_DEN=0|loss_DEN=0|gf_DEN=167|ga_DEN=121
|win_SRB=3|draw_SRB=0|loss_SRB=2|gf_SRB=161|ga_SRB=146
|win_NOR=3|draw_NOR=0|loss_NOR=2|gf_NOR=162|ga_NOR=123
|win_EGY=2|draw_EGY=0|loss_EGY=3|gf_EGY=110|ga_EGY=126
|win_BRA=2|draw_BRA=0|loss_BRA=3|gf_BRA=128|ga_BRA=158
|win_KSA=0|draw_KSA=0|loss_KSA=5|gf_KSA=107|ga_KSA=161

|hth_SRB=Norway 26–27 Serbia
|hth_NOR=SRB
|hth_EGY=Egypt 25–22 Brazil
|hth_BRA=EGY

|team1=DEN|name_DEN={{hb|DEN}}
|team2=SRB|name_SRB={{hb|SRB|2004}}
|team3=NOR|name_NOR={{hb|NOR}}
|team4=EGY|name_EGY={{hb|EGY}}
|team5=BRA|name_BRA={{hb|BRA}}
|team6=KSA|name_KSA={{hb|KSA}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|res_col_header=Q
|result1=A |result2=A |result3=A
|col_A=green1 |text_A=[[#Main round|Main round]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 16:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|NOR}}
|score= 39–23
|team2= {{hb|KSA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/3.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Erlend Mamelund|Mamelund]] 8
|goals2= [[Bandar Al-Harbi|B. Al-Harbi]] 6
|HT= 19–10
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 7
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 2,000
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 18:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|EGY}}
|score= 22–30
|team2= {{hb|SRB|2004}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/7.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Ahmed El Ahmar|El Ahmar]] 8
|goals2= [[Aleksandar Stojanović (handballer)|Stojanović]] 6
|HT= 12–12
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 5
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 2,500
|referee= Baum, Góralczyk
|refnat= POL
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 17 January 2009
|time= 20:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|DEN}}
|score= 40–27
|team2= {{hb|BRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/11.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Lars Christiansen (handballer)|Christiansen]] 8
|goals2= [[Francisco Silva (handballer)|F. Silva]] 6
|HT= 19–12
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 2,200
|referee= Gousko, Repkin
|refnat= BLR
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 16:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|BRA}}
|score=  21–39
|team2= {{hb|NOR}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/15.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Diogo Hubner|Hubner]], [[Francisco Silva (handballer)|F. Silva]] 4
|goals2= [[Lars Erik Bjørnsen|Bjørnsen]] 7
|HT= 8–17
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Baum, Góralczyk
|refnat= POL
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 18:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|KSA}}
|score= 18–26
|team2= {{hb|EGY}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/19.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Bandar Al-Harbi|B. Al-Harbi]] 9
|goals2= [[Hussein Zaky|Zaky]] 7
|HT= 8–12
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Lazaar, Reveret
|refnat= FRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 18 January 2009
|time= 20:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|SRB|2004}}
|score= 36–37
|team2= {{hb|DEN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/23.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Momir Ilić|Ilić]] 10
|goals2= [[Hans Lindberg|Lindberg]] 8
|HT= 22–16
|twomin1= 8
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Gousko, Repkin
|refnat= BLR
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|BRA}}
|score= 32–30
|team2= {{hb|SRB|2004}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/28.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Felipe Borges (handballer)|Ribeiro]] 10
|goals2= [[Momir Ilić|Ilić]] 7
|HT= 14–14
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Lazaar, Reveret
|refnat= FRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 19:10
|team1= {{hb-rt|NOR}}
|score= 30–20
|team2= {{hb|EGY}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/32.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kristian Kjelling|Kjelling]] 9
|goals2= [[Hussein Zaky|Zaky]] 9
|HT= 14–10
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,650
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 19 January 2009
|time= 21:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|DEN}}
|score= 32–13
|team2= {{hb|KSA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/36.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Anders Eggert|Eggert]] 10
|goals2= [[Mustafa Al-Habib (handballer)|Al-Habib]] 6
|HT= 17–4
|twomin1= 1
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 800
|referee= Baum, Góralczyk
|refnat= POL
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|KSA}}
|score= 24–26
|team2= {{hb|BRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/40.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Bandar Al-Harbi|B. Al-Harbi]] 9
|goals2= [[Felipe Borges (handballer)|Ribeiro]] 9
|HT= 10–14
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2= 1
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 19:10
|team1= {{hb-rt|NOR}}
|score= 26–27
|team2= {{hb|SRB|2004}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/44.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Frank Løke|Løke]] 6
|goals2= [[Marko Vujin|Vujin]] 6
|HT= 10–12
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Baum, Góralczyk
|refnat= POL
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 21 January 2009
|time= 21:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|EGY}}
|score= 17–26
|team2= {{hb|DEN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/48.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Hussein Zaky|Zaky]] 4
|goals2= [[Lars Christiansen (handballer)|Christiansen]] 7
|HT= 7–12
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,200
|referee= Lazaar, Reveret
|refnat= FRA
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 16:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|SRB|2004}}
|score= 38–29
|team2= {{hb|KSA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/51.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mladen Bojinović|Bojinović]], [[Dobrivoje Marković|Marković]] 6
|goals2= [[Mustafa Al-Habib (handballer)|Al-Habib]] 6
|HT= 21–13
|twomin1=
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 800
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 18:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|EGY}}
|score= 25–22
|team2= {{hb|BRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/55.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Hussein Zaky|Zaky]] 6
|goals2= [[Felipe Borges (handballer)|Ribeiro]] 5
|HT= 13–6
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 2,000
|referee= Lazaar, Reveret
|refnat= FRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 22 January 2009
|time= 20:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|DEN}}
|score= 32–28
|team2= {{hb|NOR}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/59.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mikkel Hansen|Hansen]] 10
|goals2= [[Kristian Kjelling|Kjelling]] 9
|HT= 16–14
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium=[[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 3,200
|referee= Gousko, Repkin
|refnat= BLR
}}

==President's Cup==
===Group I===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_ESP=5|draw_ESP=0|loss_ESP=0|gf_ESP=205|ga_ESP=98
|win_ROU=4|draw_ROU=0|loss_ROU=1|gf_ROU=175|ga_ROU=141
|win_ARG=3|draw_ARG=0|loss_ARG=2|gf_ARG=137|ga_ARG=125
|win_CUB=2|draw_CUB=0|loss_CUB=3|gf_CUB=124|ga_CUB=154
|win_KUW=1|draw_KUW=0|loss_KUW=4|gf_KUW=119|ga_KUW=157
|win_AUS=0|draw_AUS=0|loss_AUS=5|gf_AUS=87 |ga_AUS=172

|team1=ESP|name_ESP={{hb|ESP}}
|team2=ROU|name_ROU={{hb|ROU}}
|team3=ARG|name_ARG={{hb|ARG}}
|team4=CUB|name_CUB={{hb|CUB}}
|team5=KUW|name_KUW={{hb|KUW}}
|team6=AUS|name_AUS={{hb|AUS}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|result1=13P |result2=15P |result3=17P |result4=19P |result5=21P |result6=23P

|res_col_header=Q
|text_13P=[[#13th place game|13th place game]]
|text_15P=[[#15th place game|15th place game]]
|text_17P=[[#17th place game|17th place game]]
|text_19P=[[#19th place game|19th place game]]
|text_21P=[[#21st place game|21st place game]]
|text_23P=[[#23rd place game|23rd place game]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ARG}}
|score= 26–25
|team2= {{hb|KUW}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/87.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Damián Migueles|Migueles]] 5
|goals2= [[Ali Abdulredha|Abdulredha]] 6
|HT= 12–12
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|AUS}}
|score= 10–42
|team2= {{hb|ESP}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/89.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Tommy Fletcher (handballer)|Fletcher]], [[Nemanja Subotic|Subotic]] 3
|goals2= [[Cristian Ugalde|Ugalde]] 9
|HT= 6–18
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 1,200
|referee= El-Moamli, Shaaban
|refnat= EGY
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 19:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ROU}}
|score= 39–28
|team2= {{hb|CUB}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/91.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Valentin Ghionea|Ghionea]] 12
|goals2= [[Frankis Carol|Carol]], [[Raifer Turiño|Turiño]] 6
|HT= 21–15
|twomin1= 1
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ESP}}
|score= 31–19
|team2= {{hb|ARG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/93.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Juanín García|García]] 6
|goals2= [[Gonzalo Viscovich|Viscovich]] 5
|HT= 15–11
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 1,600
|referee= El-Moamli, Shaaban
|refnat= EGY
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|KUW}}
|score= 27–34
|team2= {{hb|ROU}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/95.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mahdi Al-Qallaf|Al-Qallaf]], [[Mohammad Al-Gharaballi|Al-Gharaballi]] 5
|goals2= [[Valentin Ghionea|Ghionea]] 8
|HT= 12–16
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 19:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|CUB}}
|score= 27–17
|team2= {{hb|AUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/97.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Randy Díaz|Díaz]] 5
|goals2= [[Tommy Fletcher (handballer)|Fletcher]] 6
|HT= 14–6
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 26 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|AUS}}
|score= 24–27
|team2= {{hb|KUW}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/99.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[James Blondell|Blondell]] 7
|goals2= [[Faisl Al-Shamari|F. Al-Shamari]] 7
|HT= 10–14
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 200
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 26 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ARG}}
|score= 30–23
|team2= {{hb|CUB}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/101.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Federico Pizarro (handballer)|Pizarro]] 8
|goals2= [[Frankis Carol|Carol]] 6
|HT= 16–15
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= El-Moamli, Shaaban
|refnat= EGY
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 26 January 2009
|time= 19:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ROU}}
|score= 32–40
|team2= {{hb|ESP}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/103.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Valentin Ghionea|Ghionea]] 7
|goals2= [[Cristian Ugalde|Ugalde]] 9
|HT= 16–19
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 2,500
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}

===Group II===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_EGY=4|draw_EGY=0|loss_EGY=1|gf_EGY=135|ga_EGY=125
|win_RUS=4|draw_RUS=0|loss_RUS=1|gf_RUS=151|ga_RUS=127
|win_TUN=3|draw_TUN=0|loss_TUN=2|gf_TUN=159|ga_TUN=146
|win_ALG=3|draw_ALG=0|loss_ALG=2|gf_ALG=140|ga_ALG=142
|win_BRA=1|draw_BRA=0|loss_BRA=4|gf_BRA=131|ga_BRA=137
|win_KSA=0|draw_KSA=0|loss_KSA=5|gf_KSA=105|ga_KSA=144

|hth_EGY=Russia 27–31 Egypt
|hth_RUS=EGY
|hth_TUN=Tunisia 36–25 Algeria
|hth_ALG=TUN

|team1=EGY|name_EGY={{hb|EGY}}
|team2=RUS|name_RUS={{hb|RUS}}
|team3=TUN|name_TUN={{hb|TUN}}
|team4=ALG|name_ALG={{hb|ALG}}
|team5=BRA|name_BRA={{hb|BRA}}
|team6=KSA|name_KSA={{hb|KSA}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|result1=13P |result2=15P |result3=17P |result4=19P |result5=21P |result6=23P

|res_col_header=Q
|text_13P=[[#13th place game|13th place game]]
|text_15P=[[#15th place game|15th place game]]
|text_17P=[[#17th place game|17th place game]]
|text_19P=[[#19th place game|19th place game]]
|text_21P=[[#21st place game|21st place game]]
|text_23P=[[#23rd place game|23rd place game]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 16:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|TUN}}
|score= 28–21
|team2= {{hb|KSA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/88.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Anouer Ayed|Ayed]] 5
|goals2= [[Bandar Al-Harbi|B. Al-Harbi]] 5
|HT= 12–8
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 300
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 18:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ALG}}
|score= 28–22
|team2= {{hb|EGY}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/90.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Abderrahim Berriah|Berriah]] 7
|goals2= [[Hussein Zaky|Zaky]] 6
|HT= 12–7
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 300
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 20:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|RUS}}
|score= 25–22
|team2= {{hb|BRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/92.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Timur Dibirov|Dibirov]] 7
|goals2= [[Luis Felipe Gaeta|Gaeta]], [[Felipe Borges Ribeiro|Ribeiro]] 4
|HT= 15–9
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 300
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 16:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|EGY}}
|score= 31–30
|team2= {{hb|TUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/94.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Ahmed El Ahmar|El Ahmar]] 11
|goals2= [[Anouer Ayed|Ayed]] 9
|HT= 15–14
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 18:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|KSA}}
|score= 15–34
|team2= {{hb|RUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/96.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Ahmed Al-Abdulali|Al-Abdulali]] 4
|goals2= [[Aleksandr Chernoivanov|Chernoivanov]] 8
|HT= 5–17
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 20:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|BRA}}
|score= 28–29
|team2= {{hb|ALG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/98.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Felipe Borges Ribeiro|Ribeiro]], [[Uelinton Ferreira|Ferreira]] 8
|goals2= [[Hichem Boudrali|Boudrali]] 5
|HT= 15–10
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 26 January 2009
|time= 16:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ALG}}
|score= 30–27
|team2= {{hb|KSA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/100.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Rabah Soudani|Soudani]] 8
|goals2= [[Bandar Al-Harbi|B. Al-Harbi]] 13
|HT= 14–12
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 26 January 2009
|time= 18:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|TUN}}
|score= 34–33
|team2= {{hb|BRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/102.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Jaleleddine Touati|Touati]] 6
|goals2= [[Felipe Borges Ribeiro|Ribeiro]], [[Uelinton Ferreira|Ferreira]] 9
|HT= 18–16
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 26 January 2009
|time= 20:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|RUS}}
|score= 27–31
|team2= {{hb|EGY}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/104.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Konstantin Igropulo|Igropulo]] 8
|goals2= [[Ahmed El Ahmar|El Ahmar]], [[Hassan Yousry|Yousry]] 8
|HT= 12–16
|twomin1= 8
|yellow1= 3
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}

===Placement games===
====23rd place game====
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|AUS}}
|score= 19–23
|team2= {{hb|KSA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/105.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Tommy Fletcher (handballer)|Fletcher]] 6
|goals2= [[Bandar Al-Harbi|B. Al-Harbi]] 6
|HT= 11–15
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 300
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}

====21st place game====
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 16:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|KUW}}
|score= 24–27
|team2= {{hb|BRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/106.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mohammad Al-Gharaballi|Al-Gharaballi]] 8
|goals2= [[Felipe Borges Ribeiro|Ribeiro]] 11
|HT= 12–13
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 200
|referee= El-Moamli, Shaaban
|refnat= EGY
}}

====19th place game====
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 17:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|CUB}}
|score= 27–34
|team2= {{hb|ALG}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/107.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Raifer Turiño|Turiño]] 8
|goals2= ''three players'' 6
|HT= 15–18
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 7
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 350
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}

====17th place game====
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 18:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ARG}}
|score= 23–29
|team2= {{hb|TUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/108.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Damián Migueles|Migueles]] 5
|goals2= [[Mahmoud Gharbi|Gharbi]], [[Maher Kraiem|Kraiem]] 6
|HT= 13–14
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 500
|referee= Opava, Válek
|refnat= CZE
}}

====15th place game====
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 19:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ROU}}
|score= 42–38
|team2= {{hb|RUS}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/109.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Gheorghe Irimescu|Irimescu]] 8
|goals2= [[Timur Dibirov|Dibirov]] 12
|HT= 25–21
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Mate Parlov Sport Centre]], [[Pula]]
|attendance= 750
|referee= Gatelis, Mažeika
|refnat= LTU
}}

====13th place game====
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 20:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|ESP}}
|score= 28–24
|team2= {{hb|EGY}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/110.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Joan Cañellas|Cañellas]] 9
|goals2= [[Mohamed Abd El-Salam|El-Salam]] 7
|HT= 15–10
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Žatika Sport Centre]], [[Poreč]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Stanojević, Višekruna
|refnat= SRB
}}

==Main round==
===Group I===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_CRO=5|draw_CRO=0|loss_CRO=0|gf_CRO=137|ga_CRO=118|status_CRO=H
|win_FRA=4|draw_FRA=0|loss_FRA=1|gf_FRA=139|ga_FRA=112
|win_HUN=2|draw_HUN=1|loss_HUN=2|gf_HUN=127|ga_HUN=135
|win_SWE=2|draw_SWE=0|loss_SWE=3|gf_SWE=135|ga_SWE=140
|win_SVK=1|draw_SVK=1|loss_SVK=3|gf_SVK=124|ga_SVK=137
|win_KOR=0|draw_KOR=0|loss_KOR=5|gf_KOR=119|ga_KOR=139

|team1=CRO|name_CRO={{hb|CRO}}
|team2=FRA|name_FRA={{hb|FRA}}
|team3=HUN|name_HUN={{hb|HUN}}
|team4=SWE|name_SWE={{hb|SWE}}
|team5=SVK|name_SVK={{hb|SVK}}
|team6=KOR|name_KOR={{hb|KOR|1997}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|result1=SF |result2=SF |result3=5P |result4=7P |result5=9P |result6=11P

|res_col_header=Q
|col_SF=green1 |text_SF=[[#Semifinals|Semifinals]]
|text_5P=[[#Fifth place game|Fifth place game]]
|text_7P=[[#Seventh place game|Seventh place game]]
|text_9P=[[#Ninth place game|Ninth place game]]
|text_11P=[[#Eleventh place game|Eleventh place game]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SVK}}
|score= 23–20
|team2= {{hb|KOR|1997}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/62.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[František Šulc (handballer, born 1978)|Šulc]] 6
|goals2= [[Lee Jae-woo (handballer)|Lee J.]] 8
|HT= 15–12
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 2
|red2=
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Gjeding, Hansen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|FRA}}
|score= 28–21
|team2= {{hb|SWE}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/64.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Michaël Guigou|Guigou]], [[Nikola Karabatić|Karabatić]] 7
|goals2= [[Kim Andersson|Andersson]] 5
|HT= 16–10
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 1
|yellow2= 3
|red2= 1
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 13,000
|referee= Baum, Góralczyk
|refnat= POL
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|HUN}}
|score= 22–27
|team2= {{hb|CRO}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/66.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[László Nagy (handballer)|Nagy]] 6
|goals2= [[Ivan Čupić|Čupić]] 6
|HT= 12–14
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 15,000
|referee= Olesen, Pedersen
|refnat= DEN
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SWE}}
|score= 30–31
|team2= {{hb|HUN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/68.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Jonas Källman|Källman]] 8
|goals2= [[Ferenc Ilyés|Ilyés]] 8
|HT= 18–16
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 2
|red1= 1
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 4,000
|referee= Lemme, Ullrich
|refnat= GER
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|KOR|1997}}
|score= 21–30
|team2= {{hb|FRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/70.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kim Tea-wan|Kim T.]], [[Oh Yun-suk|Oh Y.]] 5
|goals2= [[Luc Abalo|Abalo]], [[Michaël Guigou|Guigou]] 5
|HT= 15–15
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 10,000
|referee= Olesen, Pedersen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|CRO}}
|score= 31–25
|team2= {{hb|SVK}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/72.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mateo Hrvatin|Hrvatin]] 6
|goals2= [[František Šulc (handballer, born 1978)|Šulc]] 7
|HT= 18–13
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 15,000
|referee= Gousko, Repkin
|refnat= BLR
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 16:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|HUN}}
|score= 28–27
|team2= {{hb|KOR|1997}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/74.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Gábor Császár|Császár]] 8
|goals2= [[Lee Jae-woo (handballer)|Lee J.]] 7
|HT= 11–14
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 1
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 1
|red2=
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 800
|referee= Gousko, Repkin
|refnat= BLR
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 18:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SVK}}
|score= 26–27
|team2= {{hb|SWE}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/76.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Peter Kukučka|Kukučka]] 9
|goals2= [[Dalibor Doder|Doder]] 11
|HT= 11–16
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2= 1
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 10,000
|referee= Gjeding, Hansen
|refnat= DEN
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|FRA}}
|score= 19–22
|team2= {{hb|CRO}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/78.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Franck Junillon|Junillon]] 5
|goals2= [[Igor Vori|Vori]] 8
|HT= 7–11
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 15,000
|referee= Baum, Góralczyk
|refnat= POL
}}

===Group II===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=complete
|source=[https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_RANKING%20SUMMARY.pdf IHF]
|winpoints=2

|win_DEN=4|draw_DEN=0|loss_DEN=1|gf_DEN=156|ga_DEN=145
|win_POL=3|draw_POL=0|loss_POL=2|gf_POL=150|ga_POL=141
|win_GER=2|draw_GER=1|loss_GER=2|gf_GER=147|ga_GER=133
|win_SRB=2|draw_SRB=1|loss_SRB=2|gf_SRB=153|ga_SRB=161
|win_NOR=2|draw_NOR=0|loss_NOR=3|gf_NOR=138|ga_NOR=141
|win_MKD=1|draw_MKD=0|loss_MKD=4|gf_MKD=132|ga_MKD=155

|hth_GER=Germany 35–35 Serbia
|hth_SRB=GER

|team1=DEN|name_DEN={{hb|DEN}}
|team2=POL|name_POL={{hb|POL}}
|team3=GER|name_GER={{hb|GER}}
|team4=SRB|name_SRB={{hb|SRB|2004}}
|team5=NOR|name_NOR={{hb|NOR}}
|team6=MKD|name_MKD={{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}}

|class_rules = 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

|result1=SF |result2=SF |result3=5P |result4=7P |result5=9P |result6=11P

|res_col_header=Q
|col_SF=green1 |text_SF=[[#Semifinals|Semifinals]]
|text_5P=[[#Fifth place game|Fifth place game]]
|text_7P=[[#Seventh place game|Seventh place game]]
|text_9P=[[#Ninth place game|Ninth place game]]
|text_11P=[[#Eleventh place game|Eleventh place game]]
}}

{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|score= 27–29
|team2= {{hb|NOR}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/61.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 9
|goals2= [[Havard Tvedten|Tvedten]] 10
|HT= 13–16
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 4
|red2= 1
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 4,500
|referee= Caçador, Nicolau
|refnat= POR
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|GER}}
|score= 35–35
|HT= 16–19
|team2= {{hb|SRB|2004}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/63.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Torsten Jansen|Jansen]] 10
|goals2= [[Mladen Bojinović|Bojinović]] 8
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2= 1
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 4,500
|referee= Lazaar, Reveret
|refnat= FRA
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 24 January 2009
|time= 20:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|POL}}
|score= 32–28
|team2= {{hb|DEN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/65.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Patryk Kuchczyński|Kuchczyński]] 9
|goals2= [[Lasse Boesen|Boesen]] 6
|HT= 20–12
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 1,500
|referee= Din, Dinu
|refnat= ROU
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SRB|2004}}
|score= 23–35
|team2= {{hb|POL}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/67.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Momir Ilić|Ilić]] 6
|goals2= [[Tomasz Tłuczyński|Tłuczyński]] 11
|HT= 7–21
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 2,000
|referee= Caçador, Nicolau
|refnat= POR
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|NOR}}
|score= 25–24
|team2= {{hb|GER}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/69.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kristian Kjelling|Kjelling]], [[Havard Tvedten|Tvedten]] 7
|goals2= [[Holger Glandorf|Glandorf]] 6
|HT= 12–12
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 4
|red2= 1
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 2,500
|referee= Krstič, Ljubič
|refnat= SLO
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 25 January 2009
|time= 20:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|DEN}}
|score= 32–24
|team2= {{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/71.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Lars Christiansen (handballer)|Christiansen]] 8
|goals2= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 8
|HT= 13–12
|twomin1= 4
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 6
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 5,500
|referee= Lazaar, Navaret
|refnat= FRA
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 15:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|score= 28–32
|team2= {{hb|SRB|2004}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/73.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 7
|goals2= [[Momir Ilić|Ilić]] 8
|HT= 16–15
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2= 1
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 3,500
|referee= Krstič, Ljubič
|refnat= SLO
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|GER}}
|score= 25–27
|team2= {{hb|DEN}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/75.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Sebastian Preiß|Preiß]] 7
|goals2= [[Hans Lindberg|Lindberg]] 6
|HT= 14–14
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Din, Dinu
|refnat= ROU
}}
{{handballbox
|date= 27 January 2009
|time= 20:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|POL}}
|score= 31–30
|team2= {{hb|NOR}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/77.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Karol Bielecki|Bielecki]] 5
|goals2= [[Kristian Kjelling|Kjelling]] 8
|HT= 14–14
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium=[[Krešimir Ćosić Hall]], [[Zadar]]
|attendance= 4,200
|referee= Lazaar, Reveret
|refnat=FRA
}}

==Final round==
===Bracket===
[[File:Handball WC2009 Final.jpg|thumb|Final, France vs. Croatia, 22:19, 28:11 min, Arena Zagreb]]
{{#invoke:RoundN|N4
|widescore=yes|bold_winner=high
|3rdplace=yes
|RD1=Semifinals
|RD2=Final
|Consol=Third place
<!-- Date-Place/Team 1/Score 1/Team 2/Score 2 -->
<!-- semifinals -->
|30 January|{{hb|DEN}}|22|{{hb|FRA}}|27
|30 January|{{hb|CRO}}|29|{{hb|POL}}|23
<!-- final -->
|1 February|{{hb|FRA}}|24|{{hb|CRO}}|19
<!-- third place -->
|1 February|{{hb|DEN}}|23|{{hb|POL}}|31
}}

===Semifinals===
{{handballbox
|date= 30 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|DEN}}
|score= 22–27
|team2= {{hb|FRA}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/83.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Klavs Bruun Jørgensen|Jørgensen]] 5
|goals2= [[Luc Abalo|Abalo]] 7
|HT= 11–16
|twomin1=
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 2
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Spaladium Arena]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
|attendance= 11,000
|referee= Gousko, Repkin
|refnat= BLR
}}
----
{{handballbox
|date= 30 January 2009
|time= 20:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|CRO}}
|score= 29–23
|team2= {{hb|POL}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/84.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Ivan Čupić|Čupić]] 12
|goals2= [[Mariusz Jurasik|Jurasik]] 6
|HT= 14–13
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 15,000
|referee= Lemme, Ullrich
|refnat= GER
}}

===Eleventh place game===
{{handballbox
|date= 29 January 2009
|time= 12:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|KOR|1997}}
|score= 31–32
|team2= {{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/79.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Jeong Yi-kyeong|Jeong]] 7
|goals2= [[Kiril Lazarov|K. Lazarov]] 15
|HT= 14–14
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 4
|yellow2= 4
|red2=
|stadium= [[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 1,000
|referee= Menezes, Pinto
|refnat= BRA
}}

===Ninth place game===
{{handballbox
|date= 29 January 2009
|time= 20:15
|team1= {{hb-rt|SVK}}
|score= 27–34
|team2= {{hb|NOR|}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/82.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Peter Kukučka|Kukučka]] 6
|goals2= [[Kristian Kjelling|Kjelling]] 9
|HT= 14–18
|twomin1= 6
|yellow1= 2
|red1=
|twomin2= 5
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Gubica, Milošević
|refnat= CRO
}}

===Seventh place game===
{{handballbox
|date= 29 January 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|SWE}}
|score= 37–29
|team2= {{hb|SRB|2004}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/81.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mattias Gustafsson|Gustafsson]] 7
|goals2= [[Marko Vujin|Vujin]], [[Nenad Vučković (handballer)|Vučković]] 5
|HT= 20–16
|twomin1= 3
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 1
|red2=
|stadium= [[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 5,300
|referee= Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan
|refnat= IRI
}}

===Fifth place game===
{{handballbox
|date= 29 January 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|HUN}}
|score= 25–28
|team2= {{hb|GER|}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/80.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[László Nagy (handballer)|Nagy]] 5
|goals2= [[Lars Kaufmann|Kaufmann]] 8
|HT= 13–16
|twomin1=
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2= 2
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 3,000
|referee= Baum, Góralczyk
|refnat= POL
}}

===Third place game===
{{handballbox
|bg=#ddaa77
|date= 1 February 2009
|time= 15:00
|team1= {{hb-rt|DEN}}
|score=23–31
|team2= {{hb|POL}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/85.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Mikkel Hansen|Hansen]] 10
|goals2= [[Karol Bielecki|Bielecki]] 10
|HT= 11–14
|twomin1= 5
|yellow1= 3
|red1=
|twomin2=3
|yellow2= 3
|red2=
|stadium= [[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 8,000
|referee= Lazaar, Reveret
|refnat= FRA
}}

===Final===
{{handballbox
|bg=gold
|date= 1 February 2009
|time= 17:30
|team1= {{hb-rt|FRA}}
|score= 24–19
|team2= {{hb|CRO}}
|report= [https://archive.ihf.info/files/PDF/wch09cro/exchange/croatia/pdf/86.pdf Report]
|goals1= [[Michael Guigou|Guigou]] 10
|goals2= [[Ivan Čupić|Čupić]] 6
|HT=11–12
|twomin1= 2
|yellow1= 4
|red1=
|twomin2= 3
|yellow2= 4
|red2= 1
|stadium= [[Arena Zagreb]], [[Zagreb]]
|attendance= 15,000
|referee= Olsen, Pedersen
|refnat= DEN
}}
<br/>
{{col-begin}}
{{Col-1-of-3}}
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0" align="center" style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%"
|colspan=5 align=center|{{hb|FRA}}
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|- 
|GK ||'''12''' ||align="left"|[[Daouda Karaboué]] || 0/1 ||  || ||00:14
|-
|GK ||'''16''' ||align="left"|[[Thierry Omeyer]] || 10/28 ||  || ||59:46
|-
|LB||'''2''' ||align="left"|[[Jérôme Fernandez]] || 2/3 ||  || || 42:09
|-
|P ||'''3'''||align="left"|[[Didier Dinart]] || 0/0 || || {{2min}} ||33:19
|-
|CB||'''5'''||align="left"|[[Guillaume Gille]] || 0/1 ||  || ||45:00
|-
|CB||'''8''' ||align="left"|[[Daniel Narcisse]] || 6/6 ||  || ||21:48
|-
|LB||'''13'''||align="left"|[[Nikola Karabatic]] || 2/5 || || {{2min}} ||54:25
|-
|P ||'''14'''||align="left"|[[Christophe Kempé]] || 0/0 ||  || ||00:00
|-
|LB||'''15''' ||align="left"|[[Franck Junillon]] || 0/0 ||  || ||00:00
|-
|RW||'''18''' ||align="left"|[[Joël Abati]] || 0/0 ||  || ||00:00
|-
|RW||'''19'''||align="left"|[[Luc Abalo]] || 2/4 ||  || ||60:00
|-
|P ||'''20''' ||align="left"|[[Cédric Sorhaindo]] || 2/4 ||  || ||43:19
|-
|LW||'''21''' ||align="left"|[[Michaël Guigou]] || 10/12 ||  || ||56:25
|-
|LW||'''24''' ||align="left"|[[Sébastien Ostertag]] || 0/1 ||  || ||3:35
|-
|colspan=4 align="left"|''' Coach :''' [[Claude Onesta]] || 
|}
{{Col-2-of-3}}
{| class="wikitable" align="center" style="text-align:center"
|-
!width=70 | {{hb|FRA}}
!width=110  | Statistics
!width=70  | {{hb|CRO}}
|-
| 24/36 || Goals scored || 19/36
|-
| 67% || % success || 53%
|-
| 7/7 || Jets of 7m ||4/4
|-
|4 min || Suspensions || 6 min
|-
|| 4 || Yellow cards || 4
|-
| 0 || Red cards || 1
|-
| 10/29 || Total shots || 7/31
|-
| 34% || % total shots || 22%
|}
{{Col-3-of-3}}
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0" align="center" style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%"
|colspan=5 align=center|{{hb|CRO}}
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"| 
|-
|GK ||'''1''' ||align="left"|[[Venio Losert]] || 1/7 ||  || ||9:07
|-
|GK ||'''25'''||align="left"|[[Mirko Alilović]] || 6/24 ||  || ||50:53
|-
|CB||'''4'''||align="left"|[[Ivano Balić]] || 1/2 ||  || || 18:34
|-
|CB||'''5'''||align="left"|[[Domagoj Duvnjak]] || 2/6 ||  || || 41:10
|-
|LB||'''6'''||align="left"|[[Blaženko Lacković]] || 4/7 ||  || || 29:43
|-
|RB||'''8''' ||align="left"|[[Marko Kopljar]] || 0/0 ||  || || 7:29
|-
|P ||'''9'''||align="left"|[[Igor Vori]] || 2/2 ||  || ||58:28
|-
|LB||'''10''' ||align="left"|[[Jakov Gojun]] || 0/0 ||  || || 13:45
|-
|RW||'''13'''||align="left"|[[Zlatko Horvat]]  || 0/0 ||  || || 4:17
|-
|LW||'''17'''||align="left"|[[Goran Šprem]]  || 3/8 ||  || || 48:00
|-
|CB||'''18'''||align="left"|[[Denis Špoljarić]] || 0/0 ||  || || 5:23
|-
|RB||'''19'''||align="left"|[[Petar Metličić]] || 1/5 ||  || {{2min}}{{2min}} ||40:10
|-
|LB||'''24'''||align="left"|[[Tonči Valčić]] || 0/0 || || {{2min}} ||35:21
|-
|RW ||'''27'''||align="left"|[[Ivan Čupić]] || 6/6 ||  ||  || 57:40
|-
|colspan=4 align="left"|''' Coach :''' [[Lino Červar]] ||  
|}
{{Col-end}}

==Ranking and statistics==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Final ranking===
{| class="wikitable"
! style="width: 40px;" | Rank<ref>{{cite web |title=Final Standing |url=https://archive.ihf.info/en-us/ihfcompetitions/worldchampionships/mensworldchampionships/xximenshandballworldchampionship2009/news/newsdetails.aspx?ID=151 |publisher=inf.info |access-date=1 February 2009 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119031840/https://archive.ihf.info/en-us/ihfcompetitions/worldchampionships/mensworldchampionships/xximenshandballworldchampionship2009/news/newsdetails.aspx?ID=151 |url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="width: 160px;" | Team
|-
|align=center|[[Image:gold medal icon.svg]]|| {{hb|FRA}}
|-
|align=center|[[Image:silver medal icon.svg]]|| {{hb|CRO}}
|-
|align=center|[[Image:bronze medal icon.svg]]|| {{hb|POL}}
|-
|align=center|4|| {{hb|DEN}}
|-
|align=center|5|| {{hb|GER}}
|-
|align=center|6|| {{hb|HUN}}
|-
|align=center|7|| {{hb|SWE}}
|-
|align=center|8|| {{hb|SRB|2004}}
|-
|align=center|9|| {{hb|NOR}}
|-
|align=center|10|| {{hb|SVK}}
|-
|align=center|11|| {{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}}
|-
|align=center|12|| {{hb|KOR|1997}}
|-
|align=center|13|| {{hb|ESP}}
|-
|align=center|14|| {{hb|EGY}}
|-
|align=center|15|| {{hb|ROU}}
|-
|align=center|16|| {{hb|RUS}}
|-
|align=center|17|| {{hb|TUN}}
|-
|align=center|18|| {{hb|ARG}}
|-
|align=center|19|| {{hb|ALG}}
|-
|align=center|20|| {{hb|CUB}}
|-
|align=center|21|| {{hb|BRA}}
|-
|align=center|22|| {{hb|KUW}}
|-
|align=center|23|| {{hb|KSA}}
|-
|align=center|24|| {{hb|AUS}}
|-
|}
{{col-2}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 80%;"
|- style="text-align: center;"
|'''2009 Men's World Champions'''
[[Image:Flag of France.svg|150px|border|France]]<br>'''[[France men's national handball team|France]]'''<br>'''Third title'''

'''Team roster:''' [[Jérôme Fernandez]], [[Didier Dinart]], [[Guillaume Gille]], [[Daniel Narcisse]], [[Guillaume Joli]], [[Daouda Karaboué]], [[Nikola Karabatić]], [[Christophe Kempe]], [[Franck Junillon]], [[Thierry Omeyer]], [[Joël Abati]], [[Luc Abalo]], [[Cedric Sorhaindo]], [[Michaël Guigou]], [[Sebastien Bosquet]] and [[Sebastien Ostertag]].<br>'''Head coach''': [[Claude Onesta]].
|}

===All Star Team===
The All Star Team and MVP was announced on 1 February 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.ihf.info/en-us/ihfcompetitions/worldchampionships/mensworldchampionships/xximenshandballworldchampionship2009/news/newsdetails.aspx?ID=151|title=France 2009 World Champions|publisher=[[International Handball Federation|IHF]]|date=1 February 2009|access-date=9 September 2020}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position !! Player
|-
| Most valuable player || {{flagathlete|[[Igor Vori]]|CRO}}
|-
| Goalkeeper || {{flagathlete|[[Thierry Omeyer]]|FRA}}
|-
| Right wing || {{flagathlete|[[Ivan Čupić]]|CRO}}
|-
| Right back || {{flagathlete|[[Marcin Lijewski]]|POL}}
|-
| Centre back || {{flagathlete|[[Nikola Karabatić]]|FRA}}
|-
| Left back  || {{flagathlete|[[Blaženko Lacković]]|CRO}}
|-
| Left wing || {{flagathlete|[[Michaël Guigou]]|FRA}}
|-
| Pivot || {{flagathlete|[[Igor Vori]]|CRO}}
|}
{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Top goalscorers===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
! Rank !! Name !! Team !! Goals !! Shots !! %
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[Kiril Lazarov]] || align=left|{{hb|MKD|name=Macedonia}} || 92 || 167 || 55
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[Ivan Čupić]] || align=left|{{hb|CRO}} || 66 || 81 || 81
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[Felipe Borges Ribeiro]] || align=left|{{hb|BRA}} || 61 || 87 || 70
|-
| rowspan=2|4 || align=left|[[Valentin Ghionea]] || align=left|{{hb|ROU}} || rowspan=2|58 || 87 || 67
|-
| align=left|[[Tomasz Tłuczyński]] || align=left|{{hb|POL}} || 73 || 79
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[Bandar Al-Harbi]] || align=left|{{hb|KSA}} || 55 || 100 || 55
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[Kristian Kjelling]] || align=left|{{hb|NOR}} || 54 || 102 || 53
|-
| rowspan=2|8 || align=left|[[Michaël Guigou]] || align=left|{{hb|FRA}} || rowspan=2|52 || 66 || 79
|-
| align=left|[[Momir Ilić]] || align=left|{{hbw|SRB|2004}} || 100 || 52
|-
| 10 || align=left|[[Hussein Zaky]] || align=left|{{hb|EGY}} || 50 || 98 || 51
|}
<small>Source: [https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_TOPSCORER.pdf IHF]</small>
{{col-2}}

===Top goalkeepers===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
! Rank !! Name !! Team !! % !! Saves !! Shots
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[Per Sandström]] || align=left|{{hb|SWE}} || 44 || 52 || 118
|-
| rowspan=3|2 || align=left|[[Nándor Fazekas]] || align=left|{{hb|HUN}} || rowspan=3|41 || 79 || 195
|-
| align=left|[[Daouda Karaboué]] || align=left|{{hb|FRA}} || 41 || 99
|-
| align=left|[[Richard Štochl]] || align=left|{{hb|SVK}} || 110 || 266
|-
| rowspan=2|5 || align=left|[[Mohamed Bakir El-Nakib]] || align=left|{{hb|EGY}} || rowspan=2|39 || 62 || 157
|-
| align=left|[[José Manuel Sierra]] || align=left|{{hb|ESP}} || 54 || 139
|-
| rowspan=2|7 || align=left|[[Steinar Ege]] || align=left|{{hb|NOR}} || rowspan=2|38 || 95 || 249
|-
| align=left|[[Andreas Palicka]] || align=left|{{hb|SWE}} || 44 || 116
|-
| rowspan=2|9 || align=left|[[Thierry Omeyer]] || align=left|{{hb|FRA}} || rowspan=2|37 || 91 || 244
|-
| align=left|[[Johan Sjöstrand]] || align=left|{{hb|SWE}} || 56 || 150
|}
<small>Source: [https://archive.ihf.info/files/Uploads/Documents/8236_TOPGK.pdf IHF]</small>
{{col-end}}

==Medalists==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 95%;"
|-
|style="width: 15em; background: gold"|'''Gold'''
|style="width: 15em; background: silver"|'''Silver''' 
|style="width: 15em; background: #CC9966"|'''Bronze''' 
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{hb|FRA}}<hr>
{{unbulleted list|list_style=text-align:center;| }}
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{hb|CRO}}<hr>
{{unbulleted list|list_style=text-align:center;| }}
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{hb|POL}}<hr>{{unbulleted list|list_style=text-align:center;| }}
|}

==IHF broadcasting rights==
*{{CRO}}: [[RTL Televizija|RTL]]
*{{BIH}}: [[Radiotelevision of Bosnia-Herzegovina|BHRT]] (BHT 1)
*{{BRA}}: [[ESPN Brasil]]
*{{DEN}}: [[TV 2 (Denmark)|TV 2]], [[TV 2 Sport (Denmark)|TV 2 Sport]]
*{{EGY}}: Nile Sport
*{{FRA}}: Sport+
*{{GER}}: [[RTL Television|RTL]], [[Deutsches Sportfernsehen|DSF]]
*{{HUN}}: [[Sport 1 (Europe)|Sport TV]]
*{{KUW}}: Kuwait Sport Channel 3 and Kuwait Sport +
*{{flag|North Macedonia|name=Macedonia}}: [[Sitel (TV channel)|Sitel]]
*{{NOR}}: [[TV 2 (Norway)|TV 2]], [[TV 2 Zebra]] and [[TV 2 Sport (Norway)|TV 2 Sport]]
*{{POL}}: [[Telewizja Polska|TVP]] ([[TVP2]] and [[TVP Sport]])
*{{ROU}}: [[Romanian Television|TVR]], [[Sport 1 (Europe)|Sport 1]]
*{{RUS}}: [[NTV Plus]]
*{{QAT}} ([[Middle East]]): [[Al Jazeera Sports]]
*{{flag|Serbia|2004}}: [[Radio Television of Serbia|RTS]] (RTS 1)
*{{SLO}}: [[RTV Slovenija]]
*{{ESP}}: [[Televisión Española|TVE]] ([[TVE2]], [[Teledeporte]])
*{{SWE}}: [[TV4 (Sweden)|TV 4]]
*{{TUN}}: Tunis 7

;High Definition
*{{DEN}}: [[TV2 Sport HD]]
*{{POL}}: [[Telewizja Polska|TVP]] ([[TVP HD]])
*{{RUS}}: NTV Plus HD
*{{QAT}} ([[Middle East]]): [[Al Jazeera Sports HD]]
*{{SWE}}: [[TV4 HD (Sweden)|TV4 HD]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://archive.ihf.info//en-us/ihfcompetitions/worldchampionships/mensworldchampionships/xximenshandballworldchampionship2009.aspx IHF website]

{{International Handball}}
{{World Handball Championship}}

[[Category:World Men's Handball Championship]]
[[Category:International handball competitions hosted by Croatia]]
[[Category:2009 in Croatian sport|World Mens Handball Championship, 2009]]
[[Category:2009 in handball|World]]
[[Category:January 2009 sports events in Europe]]
[[Category:February 2009 sports events in Europe]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Zagreb]]
[[Category:2000s in Zagreb]]