7 . ▁ ▁France , ▁in ▁a ▁clean ▁swe ep , ▁def ended ▁their ▁title ▁by ▁defe ating ▁Norway ▁ 3 3 – 2 6 ▁in ▁the ▁final , ▁which ▁secured ▁France ▁their ▁sixth ▁title . ▁Sloven ia ▁defeated ▁Cro atia ▁ 3 1 – 3 0 ▁to ▁capture ▁the ▁bronze ▁medal . ▁Norway ▁( from ▁a ▁wild card ) ▁and ▁Sloven ia ▁earned ▁their ▁first ▁World ▁Championship ▁med als ▁ever . ▁ ▁The ▁championship ▁set ▁a ▁record ▁of ▁attend ance ▁in ▁total ▁of ▁ 5 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁spect ators ▁with ▁ 2 3 ▁matches ▁being ▁sold ▁out ▁and ▁with ▁a ▁ven ue ▁record ▁of ▁ 2 8 , 0 1 0 ▁at ▁both ▁of ▁France ' s ▁knock - out ▁matches ▁in ▁L ille . ▁ ▁Ven ues ▁The ▁championship ▁was ▁played ▁at ▁eight ▁ven ues ▁in ▁Paris - Ber cy , ▁Rou en , ▁N antes , ▁Met z , ▁Albert ville , ▁Mont pel lier , ▁L ille , ▁and ▁Br est . ▁All ▁the ▁ven ue ▁capac ities ▁are ▁the ▁capacity ▁for ▁hand ball ▁events . ▁▁ 8 ▁ven ues ▁ ▁B idd ing ▁process ▁Den mark ▁and ▁France ▁were ▁b idd ing ▁to ▁host ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Men ' s ▁World ▁Championships . ▁The ▁I H F ▁Council ▁awarded ▁the ▁Men ’ s ▁and ▁Women ’ s ▁World ▁Championships ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁at ▁their ▁meeting ▁on ▁the ▁fr ing es ▁of ▁the ▁Women ’ s ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁São