▁Paulo , ▁Brazil ▁on ▁Th urs day ▁ 1 5 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Den mark ▁was ▁the ▁co - host ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Women ’ s ▁World ▁Championship ▁and ▁host ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁Men ' s ▁World ▁Championship . ▁Den mark ▁has ▁also ▁hosted ▁the ▁Women ' s ▁E H F ▁EU RO ▁twice ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁with ▁the ▁Men ' s ▁E H F ▁EU RO ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁France ▁hosted ▁the ▁Men ' s ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁was ▁host ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Women ' s ▁World ▁Championship . ▁ ▁Qual ification ▁Tw enty - four ▁teams ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁tournament . ▁France ▁were ▁automatically ▁qualified ▁as ▁hosts . ▁An ▁additional ▁automatic ▁qual ification ▁spot ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁def ending ▁champions , ▁but ▁because ▁this ▁was ▁also ▁France , ▁the ▁ber th ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁next ▁best ▁placed ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁last ▁World ▁Championship , ▁losing ▁final ists ▁Q atar . ▁The ▁remaining ▁ 2 2 ▁available ▁places ▁were ▁for ▁the ▁best ▁teams ▁of ▁each ▁contin ental ▁qual ification ▁tournament , ▁the ▁w inners ▁of ▁an ▁additional ▁European ▁qual ification ▁competition ▁and ▁an ▁additional ▁inter cont inental ▁qual ification ▁tournament . ▁ ▁Qual ified ▁teams ▁▁ 1 ▁B old ▁indicates ▁champion ▁for ▁that ▁year ▁ 2 ▁Ital ic ▁indicates ▁host ▁country ▁for ▁that ▁year ▁ 3