A tournament of this scale requires more than mere visibility. It calls for relevant partnerships that enhance the fan experience and expand reach. As the Local Organising Committee (LOC), we were allocated eight National Supplier positions. Building on this foundation, we developed a National Campaign Partnership model.

The goal: Not just to have partners present, but to make them an active part of the Handball World Championship; before, during, and after the tournament.

National Campaign Partners: DHL & Staatsloterij 

As existing partners of the TeamNL Women’s Handball Team, DHL and the Dutch State Lottery joined as National Campaign Partners. This enabled them to naturally extend their brand stories through the IHF Women’s Handball World Championship. Visibility was rolled out through a combination of:

• Physical exposure (floor stickers, LED boarding)

• Digital activation (branded content, social formats)

• The Handball World Championship Podcast, in collaboration with Sportnieuws

The result was an integrated campaign that reached fans both in the arena and online.

Host cities as visible partners: Rotterdam & ’s-Hertogenbosch 

With Rotterdam and ’s-Hertogenbosch as host cities, we worked closely with Rotterdam Topsport and the Municipality of ’s-Hertogenbosch. Through city dressing, local activations and targeted communication, it was virtually impossible to miss the Handball World Championship. The result: strong street-level visibility and a clear connection between city, sport and event.

Mobility Partner: RET  

In Rotterdam, we partnered with RET to make travelling to Rotterdam Ahoy as easy and sustainable as possible. Accredited media and staff were able to use public transport free of charge throughout the tournament.

Media partner: Sportnieuws 

In partnership with Sportnieuws, we developed a podcast series with World Championship ambassador Tess Lieder, in which she held personal conversations with former teammates about handball and hosting a World Championship on home soil, leading up to the tournament.

Automotive partner: Zeeuw & Zeeuw 

As the automotive National Supplier, Zeeuw & Zeeuw provided exclusive transport during the World Championship. This offered not only comfort and logistical reliability, but also additional visibility for all partners in the host cities.

The partnership strategy of the Handball World Championship went beyond mere exposure. By meaningfully connecting brands to the tournament, additional value was created for fans, partners, and the organization.