Article by Alexandru Tomuțiu, David Istrate – Published Friday, December 12, 2025, 6:45 p.m. / Updated Friday, December 12, 2025, 6:51 p.m.
Reigning world champions France meet Germany, one of the two hosts of the Women's Handball World Championship, in the first semi-final of the tournament. The match in Rotterdam started at 18:45 and will be liveTEXT on GSP.ro and live on Prima Sport 2 and Digi Sport 2.
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Netherlands – Norwaythe other semifinal of the World Championship, will start at 21:45 and will be liveTEXT on GSP.ro and live on Prima Sport 3 and Digi Sport 2.
France, the world champions in 2023, want to defend their title won at the previous edition of the World Championship, but for that they will first have to get past Germany, a national team that has not lost a match so far.
LIVE. France – Germany 2-2
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Min. 5: Very nice throw, from the dive, and France equalizes. 2-2
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Min. 3: nice throw and France equalise. 1-1
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Min. 2: the first goal belongs to the Germans. Doll scores from 7 meters. 0-1
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The game has started!
Markus Gaugisch's team won the 6 games in the first two groups and then, in the “quarters”, in front of more than 10,500 supporters in the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, easily defeated Brazil, score 30-23.
After two weeks at home, Germany was forced to move its “headquarters” to Holland, in Rotterdam, where the last 4 matches of the World Championship will be played.
“From now on, everything that comes on top is like a gold medal, but we will keep fighting,” he declared Emily Vogelin an interview for ihf.com. “We will give everything in the 60 minutes on Friday to pull off the biggest surprise, even though we know that the best teams in the world are in these semi-finals and we are proud to be here this year“, she continued.
“We don't have to be afraid or change anything. We're playing really well. We're enjoying ourselves and we want to continue like this, and then we'll see what's in store for us, but we'll fight and die on the pitch on Friday,” concluded Vogel.
Denmark – France, in the “quarters” of the World Cup/Photo: Imago Images
France, masterful performance in the confrontation with Denmark in the “quarters”: “I hope it was not the peak”
If Germany has a record of 7-0, on the other hand France has won 6 matches and lost only one. In the last game in the main group, the national team from Hexagon was defeated by the Netherlands, score 26-23.
France bounced back in the 'quarters' and had an excellent performance against Denmark. Sebastien Gardillou, the coach of the reigning world champions, surprised with the tactical decision to include Pauletta Foppa, professional pivot, in the right wing position, aiming to annihilate Anna Mette Hansen.
The move paid off again France dominated Denmark and won 31-26. “I hope this wasn't the peak of our performance. I hope we reach our peak against Germany,” France manager Lena Grandveau was quoted as saying by L'Equipe.
The 22-year-old handball player collected 36 assists at the World Championship, being in the second position in the top of the bird feeders. France's top scorer is Suzanne Wajoka, with 32 goals.
On the other hand, she is a leader Antje Doll, with 39 goals16 of them coming via shots from 7 meters.
