This qualification page assumes that the IHF will follow the same format as the 2007 World Championship. The 24 spots will be awarded as follows:

1) Host: Croatia
1) Defending World Champion: Germany
3) Europe: Denmark, France and Sweden
3) Asia: South Korea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
3) Africa: Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria
3) Pan America: Brazil, Argentina and Cuba
1) Oceania: Australia
9) Performance places from the 2007 World Championships. The continent for each nation placed 1st to 9th  received an additional spot for 2009 (All 9 spots were awarded to Europe): Slovakia, Spain, Norway, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Poland, FYR Macedonia, Hungary

European Qualification (12 Nations)

European Championships (17 – 27 January, 2008)
The top 3 placed teams, not counting Croatia and Germany, automatically qualified for the 2009 World Championships. The remaining 11 nations participated in a home and away 2 game playoff in June 2008.

Final Ranking
1) Denmark
2) Croatia (Host- Already Qualified)
3) France
4) Germany (Defending Champion- Already Qualified)
5) Sweden
6) Norway
7) Poland, Hungary
9) Slovenia, Spain
11) Montenegro, Iceland
13) Czech Republic, Russia, Belarus, Slovakia

European Qualification Group Play (2-20 January, 2008)
7 Groups, consisting of teams that did not qualify for the European Championships, played a home and away round robin. The winner of each group qualifed for the home and away 2 game playoffs in June 2008.
Results: http://www.eurohandball.com/inc/print.asp?oid=11089
Teams in bold won their group
Group 1: Ukraine, Austria, Estonia
Group 2: Netherlands, Greece, Turkey
Group 3: Romania, Latvia, Cyprus
Group 4: Switzerland, Italy, Belgium
Group 5: Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland
Group 6: Portugal, FYRO Macedonia, Bulgaria
Group 7: Serbia, Israel, Faroe Islands

Playoffs (June 2008):
The bottom 11 teams (not counting Croatia and Germany) from the European Championships and the 7 group winners were drawn into 9 pairings. These nations played a home and away 2 game playoff with the winner of each pairing qualifying for the World Championships.

First leg: 7/8 June 2008
Second leg: 14/15 June 2008

Final results: http://home.eurohandball.com/report.asp?bid=260&rnr=2&pha=1026
Slovenia - Slovakia
Spain - Greece
Norway - Ukraine
Belarus - Russia
Montenegro - Romania
Czech Republic - Serbia
Poland - Switzerland
Hungary - Bosnia and Herzegovina
FYR Macedonia - Iceland

Pan American Qualification (3 Nations)

1st Division Championships (5-9 November 2007, Cuba)
Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Canada, Mexico and Cuba participated in a round robin tournament

Final Standings http://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.403
1) Cuba
2) Canada
3) Dominican Republic
4) PuertoRico
5) Mexico

Cuba and Canada advanced to the Pan American Championships

Pan American Championships (24-28 June, 2008, Brazil)
Brazil, Argentina, Greenland, Chile, Uruguay, and the 3 top nations from the 1st Division Championships (Cuba, Canada and the Dominican Republic) will participate in the tournament. Nations will be drawn into two groups of four. The top two teams advance to the semifinals. The finalists and the 3rd place match winner will qualify for the World Championships.

Final Standings http://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.525
1) Brazil
2) Argentina
3) Cuba
4) Chile
5) Greenland
6) Uruguay
7) Canada
Note:USA withdrew from participation due to financial problems. The Dominican Republic was named to replace the USA, but also was a no show at the tournament.

Africa Qualification (3 Nations)

Africa Nations Cup (7-20 January, 2008, Angola)
Final Results: http://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.439
Final Standings
1) Egypt
2) Tunisia
3) Algeria
4) Angola
5) Democratic Republic of the Congo
6) Nigeria
7) Cameroon
8 ) Morocco

Asia Qualification (3 Nations)
Isfahan, Iran (17-25 February 2008)

1) South Korea
2) Kuwait
3) Saudi Arabia
4) Iran
5) Qatar
6) Bahrain (Match for 5th place was forfeited)
7) Japan
8 ) China
9) United Arab Emirates
10) Lebanon

Oceania Qualification (1 Nation):
Wellington, New Zealand (7-10 April, 2008
Final Results: http://www.ihf.info/front_content.php?idcat=57&idart=1103
1) Australia
2) Cook Islands
3) New Zealand