“It’s just a European Championship”
German handball players catched heavy European Championship group
05/16/2025 – 06:44 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
On the way to the possible third EM title, the DHB team has to compete with top-class opponents in the preliminary round. And big names are also waiting in the further course of the tournament.
The German handball players are facing a demanding preliminary round at the 2026 European Championship. In group A, the team of national coach Alfreð Gíslason meets Spain, Serbia and Austria. The game is played in Herning-the DHB selection there all of its games.
“We caught a strong, very balanced group. It is just a European championship – there are only good opponents,” commented Gíslason
The draw. “Spain has started to integrate its outstanding talents. Austria provides a routine team and Serbia also brings a very good team with the Berlin axis and in width,” said Gíslason on the preliminary round opponents.
Benjamin Chatton also expects tight games. The national team manager said that a European championship “usually has more than a final”. The group constellation does not allow slips.
The tournament will take place from January 15 to February 1, 2026 and will be organized by Denmark, Sweden and Norway. A total of 24 teams start in six groups of four. The two best teams of each group move into the main round. Two groups of six are formed there.
In the event of progress, well-known opponents could wait for the DHB team: world champion and Olympic champion Denmark, European champion France, the World Cup fourth Portugal and Norway are possible main round opponents. Gíslason said: “Everything that would come up with us after the preliminary round would be very, very good.”
The two best teams in the main round reach the semi -finals. The third -placed played for fifth place. At home European Championships 2024, Germany had narrowly missed the podium.