Published on June 9th, 2026
Location: Global
Handball Hattrick: Opel Becomes Official Sponsor of IHF Men's Handball World Championship in Germany
Hamburg / Rüsselsheim. Opel and the International Handball Federation (IHF) have announced that the German manufacturer will be the official sponsor of the 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship in Germany. Opel is thus extending its commitment to handball after recently confirming that it will become a strategic partner of the German national handball teams – both women's and men's – from July 1, 2026. At the same time, Opel will be the new title sponsor of the strongest handball league in the world, which will be officially named ‘Opel Handball-Bundesliga’. The agreement with the IHF was brokered by the sports rights and marketing agency SPORTFIVE.
“As a German manufacturer, we are proud to support the Handball World Championship in our home country as a key player. We are already looking forward to exciting games, a great atmosphere and the possibility of presenting Opel to a global fan community. This agreement represents the third pillar in our commitment to handball, and we look forward to playing our part in making the World Championship an unforgettable event,” said Patrick Dinger, Head of Opel Germany.
Dr Hassan Moustafa, President of the International Handball Federation (IHF) affirmed: “We are delighted to welcome Opel as an official partner of the International Handball Federation. This partnership brings together two names that share a deep commitment to performance and a passion for reaching new heights. Opel is a brand with a proud heritage, a big and bold history behind it and a creative vision for the future, qualities that resonate strongly with everything handball stands for. Together, we look forward to taking our sport to new audiences and creating experiences that will leave a lasting impression on the handball family around the world.”
“With Opel, we are welcoming a strong event partner that supports the IHF Handball World Championships not only in terms of brand presence, but also operationally. As the official automotive partner, Opel will make a significant contribution to the smooth delivery of the tournament by providing shuttle services in Germany. This partnership is a strong example of integrated engagements that effectively combine brand visibility, functionality, and event excellence”, said Robert Müller von Vultejus, Chief Growth Officer at SPORTFIVE.
This agreement represents the third pillar in our commitment to handball, and we look forward to playing our part in making the World Championship an unforgettable event.
Patrick Dinger, Head of Opel Germany
Opel at the Handball World Championship: Raising awareness, arousing enthusiasm
The 30th IHF Handball World Championship in Germany is one of the highlights on the 2027 sporting calendar. Opel will be present across all venues as the official mobility partner – modern, sporty and just as inspiring as the handball sport itself. This claim is also embodied by the new Astra and Astra Sports Tourer, designed, developed and built at the headquarters in Rüsselsheim, and the top-of-the-line Grandland SUV produced in Eisenach, as well as the new high-performance GSE models. With its hot new ‘everyday sports cars’ Mokka GSE and the upcoming Corsa GSE, Opel is proving how electric, sporty driving pleasure arouses pure emotions.
The commitment to the Handball World Championship is also underlined by the comprehensive logo presence and the promotion areas at all venues. The raffle of highly sought-after tickets, backstage tours and broad customer activation via the Opel dealers complement the diverse activities.
The fact that the combination of sportiness, maximum precision and enthusiasm characterises both the models and Opel as a whole is shown by the manufacturer's continuous commitment to professional sports as a cooperation partner and as an active participant, which dates back to the early years of the company.
While the manufacturer has established itself in rally and circuit racing with many successes since the 1970s, the brand has increasingly come to the fore as a strong partner in ball sports since the 1980s. For example, Opel was a sponsor of the 1986 Football World Cup in Mexico, 1994 in the USA and 1998 in France, as well as the 1988, 1992 and 1996 European Football Championships. In the same period up to the World Team Championships in 2000, Opel was the main sponsor of the German Table Tennis Federation. And for the 1990 Men's Handball World Championship, the car manufacturer was the main and jersey sponsor of the German national team.
The upcoming Handball World Championship, which will be played under the slogan ‘Where handball is alive’ will take place from January 13 to 31, 2027. The opening match will be played in Munich. Elsewhere, the 32 participating teams will compete for the World Championship title in the arenas of Stuttgart, Kiel, Magdeburg and Hanover before the grand finale will take place in Cologne. Germany will host the IHF Men's World Championship for the eighth time. The three-time world champions last lifted the trophy in 2007 when they also hosted the tournament.
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About SPORTFIVE
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that delivers customer-centric solutions based on trust and transparency, deep industry experience and global relationships, digital intelligence and innovation. SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to create and enable contemporary partnerships in sports.
While creating and growing long-term value for all, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through innovative digital solutions and strives to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.
Being at the centre of professional sport SPORTFIVE will use its unique position, in order to make a positive contribution to sustainability and to live up to the social and economic duty and responsibility, which sport and consequently all parties involved, also have. SPORTFIVE operates with a global mindset and network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Football, Golf, Handball, Motorsport, Esports, Cricket, Tennis, American Football, Basketball, Hockey, Rugby, Olympics and Multi-Sport Events, Wintersports and many more.
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About Opel
Opel is one of the largest European car manufacturers and started building automobiles in Germany in 1899. Opel is part of Stellantis NV and is the first German brand to already offer all models with a fully electric drive based on its multi-energy platforms. The company thus gives its customers the freedom to decide for themselves how they want to travel and ensures that the future mobility demands of customers are met. Opel and its British sister brand Vauxhall stand for affordable mobility and are represented in more than 60 countries.
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About IHF
Founded in 1946, the International Handball Federation (IHF) is the global governing body for handball and its disciplines. It represents 209 member federations and organises all World Championships in indoor, beach and wheelchair handball.
With the objective of continuously developing and promoting Olympic handball and its disciplines worldwide, the IHF has launched several global initiatives focused on collaboration and education to raise the level of the sport across all regions. By promoting the Olympic values, the IHF strives to unite the global handball community around a shared goal: contributing to a more peaceful and better world through sport.
Press contacts
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Mara Kottke
Senior Manager Marketing Communications
mara.kottke@sportfive.com
