Europe’s handball association is planning a new national team tournament: the winner of the “European Handball Games” should get a starting place for the Olympic Games from 2030. The EHF announced this on Wednesday.
At the new one “Flagship Event” The eight best men’s and women’s national teams in Europe should compete, and the “European starting place at the Olympic Games is the ultimate prize”said EHF President Michael Wiederer.
The games are scheduled to take place every four years in September as part of a national team week. As with the Olympics, the women’s and men’s match days should take place alternately. The aim of the EHF is to strengthen European handball: “Next Level. Every game – that’s our motto“, says Wiederer.
Details about the new tournament format will be available in December
So far, the twelve teams at the Olympics are made up of the respective host country and teams that qualify through the World Cup as well as continental championships and tournaments. The remaining six starting places are currently being determined in three tournaments with four teams each, of which the two best placed per group qualified for the Olympics.
The “European Handball Games” now go hand in hand with a general restructuring of handball under the auspices of the EHF. The qualification system for world championships is also to be changed.
Details of the new format are expected to be published at the next EHF Executive Committee meeting in December.