In January 2011, Sweden hosts the World Championships in handball for men - the largest event taking place in Sweden this year.

IHF, Swedish Handball Federation and the COC for Men’s Handball World Championship in Sweden have met to discuss the way ahead.

The President of IHF Dr. Hassan Moustafa and the President of Swedish Handball Federation Hans Vestberg signed the agreement underlying the World Championship.

”This has brought us a good step forward towards the world's best championship”, says Hans Vestberg.

”We have had very good discussions. We will work together as a team with this championship”, says Dr. Hassan Moustafa.

The possibility of splitting groups was decided, for not having to play three matches in the same arena on one day. For example, a match from the group in Kristianstad and a match from the group in Malmö will be played in Lund. Then all three World Cup cities get two matches to organize and will be able to offer more people to see handball at the highest level.

Moreover, it was decided that the first ticket release takes place in autumn 2009, when a number of tickets to the final and to Sweden's matches will be sold. The next ticket release is in spring 2010, when a number of 'follow your team' tickets will be sold. The remainder of the tickets are released immediately after the draw takes place in mid-2010.

Some facts about Men's Handball World Championship 2011:

• The Men’s Handball World Championship is played 13-30 January 2011.
• 24 teams from all the world's continents are participating.
• Championship begins with pool – four groups of six teams each.
• Continuing are two main round groups.
• The final, and one of two semi finals, are going to be hosted in Malmö Arena in the southernmost of Sweden.
• One of the objectives of the championship is to create a multi-cultural party, which extends far outside the handball arenas.
• The WCh-cities that are decided are Malmö, Lund, Kristianstad and Gothenburg.
• During the last men's World Championships in Croatia in 2009, was 1 568 media representatives accredited. Television broadcasts reached over 1.5 billion viewers in 150 countries.
• Handball World Championships is the largest event in Scandinavia in 2011.