The 1997 World Men's Handball Championship was the 15th team handball World Championship.

It was held in Kumamoto, Japan and was the first World Championship not played in a European country.

Russia won the championship.

The organizing committee used four venues to host the 1997 World Men's Handball Championship:[1] The top 4 placed teams of each group continues to the knockout stage.

The teams are ranked through the following rules.