Sweden's men's national team enters the championship as one of the favorites, after the EC gold almost a year ago and the WC silver in 2021.

Sweden plays its group matches in Gothenburg.

If "Blågult" advances from the intermediate round, they go to Stockholm to play the quarter-finals.

As well as, hopefully, semi-finals and finals as well.

It would be good for the interest, and the economy.

Other teams saved

Swedish handball hopes to get at least ten million kroner in profit from the event.

Previous championships at home speak for it.

The WC 2011 brought in around 25 million.

Sweden went to the semi-finals, but was without a medal.

EC 2020 gave ten million, even though Sweden did not advance from the intermediate round.

The financial saving then was that Norway and Croatia made it to the semi-finals in Stockholm, and had many fans there.

- Otherwise, the championship would have become a losing project, says Krister Bergström, who is the CEO of the Swedish WC arrangement.

Denmark and Iceland are two other national teams that can attract many supporters to the WC arenas.

No calculation

However, financial profit from the WC is not something that the Swedish Handball Association has included in its budget.

It is more of a hope.

The association's annual turnover is around SEK 120 million, including everything.

- We cannot count on surpluses from championships to drive the business.

It is rather that we add it to opportunities for development, and of course a little as a reserve for difficult times, says Robert Wedberg, general secretary of the association.

- Now we are entering a time when we do not know how costs for travel, accommodation and other things will be in the future, he adds.

Another source of concern is how the spread of covid-19 may develop.

- If we get restrictions on us, it also has a financial consequence, Krister Bergström notes.

Party and interest

But the biggest profit from a home championship with sporting Swedish success is difficult to calculate in kronor.

- We have a strategy that we want to have championships in Sweden, first and foremost to create celebration and interest, and to be able to recruit new handball players.

That is the basic value, says Robert Wedberg.

- We notice after the championship how the interest increases and we can receive more young people, he adds.

Ticket sales for the WC in January are described as good.

Around 10,000 tickets have already been sold for Sweden's first two group stage matches, against Brazil and Cape Verde.

Heavier for the ladies

Sweden is actually organizing two handball World Cups next year.

In November and December it is time for the ladies.

But it probably doesn't break even, financially speaking.

- It's very sad.

We enter the championships for men and women with the same conditions.

But the interest in the ladies is not really there on a global level, except in Denmark and Norway where it is crazy big, says Krister Bergström.

Next year's Women's WC will be arranged in collaboration with Denmark and Norway.

The Men's WC in January will be held in Sweden and Poland.

The number of teams in the various championships has increased (32 in the Men's World Cup), making it impossible for most countries to organize something on their own.

- It is important to have good relations with other countries and find collaborations, says Robert Wedberg.