The race for Brazil starts on the weekend

The new year has only just started but it is already crunch time for 30 men’s junior national teams as they enter the qualification for the Men’s Junior World Championship 2015 in Brazil.

All matches can be followed via the EHF live ticker.

At the EHF Congress in September 2014 the participating teams were drawn into six groups of four teams each and two groups of three teams each.

Starting from Friday, 9 January they start their race to the final tournament as qualification tournaments are played in Russia, Poland, Great Britain, Iceland, Kosovo, Romania, Spain and Greece.

All tournaments conclude on Sunday, 11 January.

No matter whether there are three or four teams in one group, only the first ranked team will go to Brazil.

"We will be focusing on our game and give everything we have in every match. As there is only one ticket available we must not commit any mistakes," says Jacky Betholet, one of three coaches for the French national team.

"It’d be a huge disappointment if we missed the World Championship, but our players show the will to progress and they have the quality it takes to qualify."

Austria’s coach Roland Marouschek also sees his team in the mix: "We are not a developing team any more, but we amassed skills and experience. We definitely travel to Moscow to win the tournament."

Three European teams, Germany as the Men's 20 EHF EURO 2014 champions, Sweden as the silver medallists at the Men's 20 EHF EURO 2014 and current youth world champions Denmark, are already qualified.

The Men's Junior World Championship 2015 takes place from 19 July to 2 August in Brazil.