2026 European Men's Handball Championship

The 2026 EHF European Men's Handball Championship, commonly referred to as the EHF Euro 2026, will be the 17th edition of the EHF European Men's Handball Championship, the biennial international men's handball championship of Europe organized by EHF. It will be co-hosted by Denmark, Norway and Sweden from 15 January to 1 February 2026.

2026 EHF European Men's Handball Championship

EM i håndbold for mænd 2026 (in Danish) EM i håndball for menn 2026 (in Norwegian) EM i handboll för herrar 2026 (in Swedish)
Tournament details
Host countries	Denmark Norway Sweden
Venue(s)	4 (in 4 host cities)
Dates	15 January – 1 February[1]
Teams	24 (from 1 confederation)
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Bid process

Main article: 2026 European Men's Handball Championship bidding process

Bids

On 11 May 2021 it was announced that the following nations sent in an official expression of interest:^[1]

•  Denmark,  Norway &  Sweden
•  Switzerland (withdrew) in October 2021. Switzerland merged with the Iberian bid for 2028.^[2]

Host selection

As only the Scandinavian bid remained it was unanimously selected at the 14th EHF Extraordinary Congress on 20 November 2021.^[3][4]

Qualification

Main article: 2026 European Men's Handball Championship qualification

Map of qualifiers for the 2026 European Women's Handball Championship:

  Team qualified for Men's EHF Euro 2026

  Team failed to qualify

  Team banned from competition

  Did not enter

36 teams registered for participation and competed for 20 places at the final tournament. After the qualification round 1, the remaining 32 teams take part in qualification round 2, where each team is drawn into eights groups of four. The top-two placed teams in each group qualified for the final tournament, alongside the four best-ranked third-placed teams, not counting the matches against fourth-placed teams. The draw took place on 21 March 2024 in Copenhagen, Denmark.^[5][6] Qualification started in November 2025 and ended in May 2026.

Of the 24 qualifiers, 22 return from the previous edition. Italy qualified for only their second appearance, with their first being back in 1998. Ukraine come back having missed out in 2024.

Of the non-qualifiers, Bosnia and Herzegovina miss out for the first time since 2018, while 2024 debutants, Greece also failed to qualify.

The lowest ranked team from the EHF rankings to qualify was Ukraine, ranked 30th. The highest ranked team to not qualify was Greece, ranked 22nd.

Qualified teams

Team	Qualification method	Date of qualification	App	First	Last	Streak	Best placement in tournament	Rank[7]
Denmark	Host nation	20 November 2021	16th	1994	2024	14	Champions (2008, 2012)	1
Norway			12th	2000		11	Third place (2020)	8
Sweden			16th	1994		10	Champions (1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2022)	4
France	Defending champions	26 January 2024	17th			17	Champions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2024)	2
Iceland	Top 2 in Group 3	15 March 2025	14th	2000		14	Third place (2010)	9
Croatia	Top 2 in Group 5	15 March 2025	17th	1994		17	Runners-up (2008, 2010, 2020)	5
Slovenia	Top 2 in Group 1		15th			6	Runners-up (2004)	11
Portugal	Top 2 in Group 8	16 March 2025	9th			4	Sixth place (2020)	7
Hungary	Top 2 in Group 2	7 May 2025	15th			12	Fifth place (2024)	6
Czech Republic	Top 2 in Group 5		13th	1996		5	Sixth place (1996)	17
Germany	Top 2 in Group 7		16th	1994		6	Champions (2004, 2016)	3
Georgia	Top 2 in Group 3	8 May 2025	2nd	2024		2	18th place (2024)	26
Montenegro	Top 2 in Group 2		8th	2008		7	Eleventh place (2022)	14
Spain	Top 2 in Group 4		17th	1994		17	Champions (2018, 2020)	10
Faroe Islands	Top 2 in Group 6		2nd	2024		2	20th place (2024)	21
Netherlands			4th	2020		4	Tenth place (2022)	12
Austria	Top 2 in Group 7	11 May 2025	7th	2010		5	Eighth place (2020, 2024)	13
North Macedonia	Top 2 in Group 1		9th	1998		8	Fifth place (2012)	19
Poland	Top 2 in Group 8		12th	2002		4	Fourth place (2010)	16
Serbia	Top 2 in Group 4		9th	2010		9	Runners-up (2012)	18
Italy	Four best third place teams		2nd	1998		1	Eleventh place (1998)	20
Romania			4th	1994	2024	2	Ninth place (1996)	25
Switzerland			6th	2002		2	Twelveth place (2004)	15
Ukraine			8th	2000	2022	1	Eleventh place (2002)	30

Venues

A first draft of the venues was proposed in August 2023.^[8] The tournament will be played across four venues in four cities: one in Denmark (Herning, Groups A and B), one in Norway (Bærum, Groups C and D), and two in Sweden (Malmö and Kristianstad, Groups E and F).^[9] The main round will take place in Herning and Malmö, with the former organising the final weekend.^[10] In regards to Norway, Oslo was chosen over Trondheim, after negotiations with Trondheim fell through due to financial reasons.^[11]

In September 2024, one team per venue was selected. Denmark will play in Herning (Group B), Norway in Bærum (Group C) and Sweden in Malmö (Group E). If they qualify, Germany will play in Herning (Group A), the Faroe Islands in Bærum (Group D) and Iceland in Kristianstad (Group F).^[12]

Bærum, Norway	Herning Malmö Kristianstad Bærum	Kristianstad, Sweden
Unity Arena Capacity: 15,000		Kristianstad Arena Capacity: 4,700
Herning, Denmark		Malmö, Sweden
Jyske Bank Boxen Capacity: 12,500		Malmö Arena Capacity: 13,000

Draw

The draw took place in Herning, Denmark, on 15 May 2025.^[13][14] On 2 September 2024, the three co-hosts were allowed to choose a nation to be drawn in their country if they qualified. Denmark chose Germany, Norway picked Faroe Islands while Sweden selected Iceland.^[15][16][12]

Seeding

The seedings were announced on 12 May 2025.^[17]

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4
France  Denmark (assigned to B1)  Sweden (assigned to E1)  Germany (assigned to A1)  Hungary  Slovenia	Portugal  Norway (assigned to C2)  Iceland (assigned to F2)  Croatia  Spain  Faroe Islands (assigned to D2)	Austria  Netherlands  Montenegro  Czech Republic  Poland  North Macedonia	Georgia  Serbia   Switzerland  Romania  Ukraine  Italy

Preliminary round

The schedule was released on 10 November 2024.^[18]

All times are local (UTC+1).^[19]

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Germany	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Main round
2	Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Austria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Serbia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 15 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

15 January 2026 18:00	Spain	v	Serbia	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

15 January 2026 20:30	Germany	v	Austria	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

---

17 January 2026 18:00	Austria	v	Spain	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

17 January 2026 20:30	Serbia	v	Germany	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

---

19 January 2026 18:00	Austria	v	Serbia	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

19 January 2026 20:30	Germany	v	Spain	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Main round
2	Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	North Macedonia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Romania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 16 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

16 January 2026 18:00	Portugal	v	Romania	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

16 January 2026 20:30	Denmark	v	North Macedonia	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

---

18 January 2026 18:00	North Macedonia	v	Portugal	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

18 January 2026 20:30	Romania	v	Denmark	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

---

20 January 2026 18:00	North Macedonia	v	Romania	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

20 January 2026 20:30	Denmark	v	Portugal	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning
		Report

Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Main round
2	Norway	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Ukraine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 15 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

15 January 2026 18:00	France	v	Czech Republic	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

15 January 2026 20:30	Norway	v	Ukraine	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

---

17 January 2026 18:00	Ukraine	v	France	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

17 January 2026 20:30	Czech Republic	v	Norway	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

---

19 January 2026 18:00	Czech Republic	v	Ukraine	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

19 January 2026 20:30	France	v	Norway	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

Group D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Slovenia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Main round
2	Faroe Islands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Montenegro	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Switzerland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 16 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

16 January 2026 18:00	Slovenia	v	Montenegro	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

16 January 2026 20:30	Faroe Islands	v	Switzerland	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

---

18 January 2026 18:00	Montenegro	v	Faroe Islands	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

18 January 2026 20:30	Switzerland	v	Slovenia	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

---

20 January 2026 18:00	Montenegro	v	Switzerland	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

20 January 2026 20:30	Slovenia	v	Faroe Islands	Unity Arena, Bærum
		Report

Group E

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sweden	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Main round
2	Croatia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Georgia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 17 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

17 January 2026 18:00	Croatia	v	Georgia	Malmö Arena, Malmö
		Report

17 January 2026 20:30	Sweden	v	Netherlands	Malmö Arena, Malmö
		Report

---

19 January 2026 18:00	Netherlands	v	Croatia	Malmö Arena, Malmö
		Report

19 January 2026 20:30	Georgia	v	Sweden	Malmö Arena, Malmö
		Report

---

21 January 2026 18:00	Netherlands	v	Georgia	Malmö Arena, Malmö
		Report

21 January 2026 20:30	Sweden	v	Croatia	Malmö Arena, Malmö
		Report

Group F

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Hungary	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Main round
2	Iceland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Poland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 16 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

16 January 2026 18:00	Iceland	v	Italy	Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad
		Report

16 January 2026 20:30	Hungary	v	Poland	Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad
		Report

---

18 January 2026 18:00	Poland	v	Iceland	Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad
		Report

18 January 2026 20:30	Italy	v	Hungary	Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad
		Report

---

20 January 2026 18:00	Poland	v	Italy	Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad
		Report

20 January 2026 20:30	Hungary	v	Iceland	Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad
		Report

Main round

Points and goals gained in the preliminary group against teams that advance were transferred to the main round.

Group I

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	A1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Semifinals
2	B1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	C1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Fifth place game
4	A2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	B2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	C2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 22 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

22 January 2026	C1	v	B2	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

22 January 2026	A2	v	C2	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

22 January 2026	A1	v	B1	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

---

24 January 2026	C1	v	B1	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

24 January 2026	A1	v	C2	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

24 January 2026	A2	v	B2	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

---

26 January 2026	A1	v	B2	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

26 January 2026	A2	v	C1	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

26 January 2026	B1	v	C2	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

---

28 January 2026	A1	v	C1	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

28 January 2026	A2	v	B1	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

28 January 2026	B2	v	C2	Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

Group II

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	D1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Semifinals
2	E1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	F1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Fifth place game
4	D2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	E2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	F2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 23 January 2026. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.

23 January 2026	F1	v	E2	Malmö Arena, Malmö

23 January 2026	D2	v	F2	Malmö Arena, Malmö

23 January 2026	D1	v	E1	Malmö Arena, Malmö

---

25 January 2026	F1	v	E1	Malmö Arena, Malmö

25 January 2026	D1	v	F2	Malmö Arena, Malmö

25 January 2026	D2	v	E2	Malmö Arena, Malmö

---

27 January 2026	D1	v	E2	Malmö Arena, Malmö

27 January 2026	D2	v	F1	Malmö Arena, Malmö

27 January 2026	E1	v	F2	Malmö Arena, Malmö

---

28 January 2026	D1	v	F1	Malmö Arena, Malmö

28 January 2026	D2	v	E1	Malmö Arena, Malmö

28 January 2026	E2	v	F2	Malmö Arena, Malmö

Knockout stage

Bracket

	Semi-finals				Final
	30 January
					1 February
	30 January
					Third place
					1 February

Semifinals

30 January 2026 17:45		v		Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

---

30 January 2026 20:30		v		Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

Fifth place game

30 January 2026 15:00		v		Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

Third place game

1 February 2026 15:15		v		Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

Final

1 February 2026 18:00		v		Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

Ranking and statistics

Final ranking

The teams ranked fourth in each group after the completion of the preliminary round matches will be ranked 19 to 24, while teams ranked third in each group after the completion of the preliminary round matches will be ranked 13 to 18 according to the number of points won in the preliminary round. Places seven or eight will be attributed to the two teams ranked fourth in the main round groups, places nine and ten to the two teams ranked fifth in the main round groups, places eleven and twelve to the two teams ranked sixth in the main round groups according to the number of points won by the respective teams after completion of the main round matches. Places one to six will be decided by play–off or knock–out.

Rank Team Qualification WC EC Q Q Q Q 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Q Qualified directly to a main tournament Method of qualification Qualified for the phase indicated based on this tournament

Preparations

As of April 2025, the EHF states that preparations are going smoothly.^[20]