Twelve teams will contest the nine-day event at Godthåbhallen, where the final three places for the 2019 World Handball Championship will be up for grabs. 

They are split into two groups, with the top two sides qualifying for the semi-finals.

Chile, Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Peru will play in Group A, while Brazil, Uruguay, Greenland, Canada, Colombia and Paraguay will do battle in Group B.

Five of the teams played at the recent South American Games in Cochabamba in Bolivia.

Brazil won the gold medal after beating Argentina 25-22 in the final.

By reaching the final, both nations booked their tickets to the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru’s capital Lima.

Argentina have not beaten Brazil in an official game since the 2014 Pan American Championship final in Canelones in Uruguay.

Chile won the bronze medal at the South American Games, while Uruguay and Peru ranked fourth and sixth respectively in the seven-team tournament.

Reigning Pan American Games champions Brazil won their third Pan American Championship title when they defeated Argentina in the 2016 final.

Their other triumphs came in 2006 and 2008.

Argentina are the only other side since 2000 to have won the Pan American Championship title, taking the gold medal six times out of the last nine editions.

Prior to Brazil and Argentina’s period of dominance, Cuba were the unrivalled champions, winning eight consecutive trophies from 1979 to 1998.

Brazil, Argentina and Chile all qualified automatically for this year’s event along with hosts Greenland.

The other eight teams made their way through qualification tournaments.

Guatemala secured their place via the 2017 Central American Games; Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay qualified from the South Zone; and Canada, Cuba and Puerto Rico claimed the three places available at the 2018 North American and Caribbean Championship.