USA Team Handball Opens Selection for 2026 IHF Women’s U16 World Championship

Applications Open for Cadet U16 Women’s National Team; Deadline August 30

USA Team Handball has officially opened the athlete selection process for the Cadet U16 Women’s National Team (CWNT) that will represent the United States at the 2026 IHF Women’s U16 World Championship, scheduled for October 15–24, 2026, in Agadir, Morocco. This following qualification via the team's Silver Medal finish in its inaugural competition at the NACHC U16 Women's Championship in Mexico City last month.

Eligible athletes may now register for selection through USA Team Handball’s Sport:80 platform:

REGISTER FOR SELECTION

The deadline to complete the application and all required video submissions is August 30, 2026.

• Selection Process Opens: Immediately
• Application and Video Submission Deadline: August 30, 2026
• Selection Period: August 31–September 2, 2026
• Athlete Notification: On or about September 3, and no later than September 7, 2026
• IHF Women’s U16 World Championship: October 15–24, 2026 — Agadir, Morocco

Athletes seeking selection must meet all eligibility requirements contained in the published Selection Procedures, including:

• Be born in 2010 or later
• Be a U.S. citizen and eligible to represent the United States in IHF international competition
• Hold a valid U.S. passport, or be able to obtain one before international travel
• Be a current USA Team Handball member in good standing
• Remain compliant with applicable USOPC, USA Team Handball and SafeSport requirements
• Be medically cleared for high-performance training and international competition

All applicants must complete the required registration materials through Sport:80 by August 30.

All athletes, including athletes who have previously participated with a USA Team Handball Women’s National Team program, must submit:

• Video of a 2,000-meter race, showing the starting time, race and finishing time
• Video of three 40-meter sprints, showing each sprint and corresponding time

Athletes who have not participated in a USA Youth or Junior National Team event, camp or competition during the previous six months must additionally submit technical video demonstrating:

• Five defensive actions, such as positioning, footwork, contact management, lateral movement and recovery
• Five offensive actions, such as passing, shooting, off-ball movement and attacking decision-making

Selection will be based on a holistic evaluation that includes physical performance, technical and tactical ability, positional needs, previous USA Team Handball performance where applicable, developmental potential, readiness for international competition, coachability, professionalism and adherence to team standards.

No single criterion guarantees selection.

Athletes and families are encouraged to carefully review the complete 2026 Cadet U16 Women’s National Team Selection Procedures before submitting an application.

Registration:
https://usateamhandball.sport80.com/wizard/event/325/home