FALKEN has extended its partnership with the International Handball Federation (IHF), signing on as a partner of both the 2027 and 2029 IHF Men's Handball World Championships. The tyre brand belongs to Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, the European subsidiary of Japan's Sumitomo Rubber Industries.
The renewal continues a relationship that began with the 2019 World Championship and carried through the 2023 and 2025 tournaments. SPORTFIVE brokered the agreement. The agency holds exclusive worldwide media and marketing rights for all IHF World Championships through 2031.
FALKEN was official event partner of the 29th IHF Men's Handball World Championship in 2025. Its branding appeared on LED advertising boards and goal-area signage, putting the brand in front of millions of handball fans worldwide. The company says that exposure has helped position FALKEN as a high-performance tyre brand in the upper mid-range segment.
The 30th edition will be held in Germany from 13 to 31 January 2027. Thirty-two national teams will play 112 matches across six host cities: Munich, Stuttgart, Magdeburg, Kiel, Hanover and Cologne. The tournament motto is "Where Handball is Alive." The 2029 championship will be co-hosted by France and Germany.
Both organisations describe the partnership as built on shared values of precision, performance, reliability and the pursuit of excellence, on the court and on the road.
I am pleased to confirm the continuation of our partnership with FALKEN for the IHF Men's World Championships in 2027 and 2029. FALKEN has been part of our tournament for several years, and the extension of this partnership underlines our shared commitment to performance and excellence, values that define both our sport and the FALKEN brand. I would like to thank FALKEN for its continued trust in the IHF and in the Men's World Championship and look forward to welcoming the brand back to our courts in Germany and again in France and Germany for the upcoming tournaments.
— Dr Hassan Moustafa, President, International Handball Federation (IHF)
For FALKEN, the extension confirms international handball as a key communications platform.
Our shared values, the successful partnerships of previous years and the FALKEN brand's deep roots in sport provide a strong foundation to continue our commitment. We are delighted to partner with the IHF Men's Handball World Championships in 2027 and 2029 and look forward to the excitement and entertainment it will bring fans. The extension of our partnership with the IHF enables us to expand our presence on a global stage and connect with millions of enthusiasts all around the world.
— Markus Bögner, Managing Director and President, Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH
Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, which operated as Falken Tyre Europe GmbH until February 2026, is based in Offenbach am Main, Germany, and distributes DUNLOP, FALKEN and SUMITOMO tyres across Europe. Parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries is the world's sixth-largest tyre manufacturer, with more than 37,000 employees, 12 production sites and over 116 million tyres sold annually.
More information is available from FALKEN Tyres press and the IHF media centre.
