TEHRAN – Iran’s women’s handball team goalkeeper Fatemeh Khalili says that they want to make history in the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship.

Iran finished in 31st place in the previous edition, being drawn in a tough group in the preliminary round against Norway, Romania.

Two years later after Spain 2021, Iran are back at the IHF Women’s World Championship, where they aim to put that talent and experience to good use, albeit in another tough group, with two European sides and one Asian side.

While Germany and Poland are clearly favorites, they are not as strong as Norway and Romania respectively, while Japan are clearly the favorites to progress to the main round, being the reigning Asian Games title holders and the runners-up at the 2022 AHF Asian Women's Handball Championship.

“We have participated in the 2021 edition and can learn from experience to make history. It will be our first encounter with Germany and Poland but we have already played with Japan and know that how strong they are,” Khalili said.

“In the previous edition, we had no easy game since we played with defending champions Norway and are well-informed we have a difficult task ahead of us,” she added.

“Playing in the world championships is a great honor for us because the tournament brings the world stars together. I hope we can make splash in this edition,” Romanian side CSM Iasi goalkeeper stated.

Iran will start the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship with a match against Poland on Nov. 30 at the Jyske Bank Boxen in  Herning, Denmark.