1997 World Men's Handball Championship
| 1997年男子世界ハンドボール選手権大会 | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Host country | Japan |
| Venue(s) | 4 (in 3 host cities) |
| Dates | 16 May–1 June |
| Teams | 24 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Russia (2nd title) |
| Runners-up | Sweden |
| Third place | France |
| Fourth place | Hungary |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 80 |
| Goals scored | 3,741 (46.76 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Yoon Kyung-shin (KOR) 62 (12) |
| Awards | |
| Best player | Talant Duyshebaev (ESP) |
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.