Everything important about the Women's Handball Euro 2026

On 3 December, the Women’s Handball European Championship will begin. After the World Cup silver medal last year, the German handball players go as co-favorites in the tournament, which ends on 20 December. Here is the most important information at a glance. By Maike Elger This year there are five host countries with Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Turkey. In 2021, the tournament was actually awarded to Russia. Due to the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine one year later, the European Handball Federation (EHF) decided to look for a new host and jointly awarded the European Championships to the five applicants.In Antalya (Turkey), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Ordea (Romania), only preliminary-round games are held. Preliminary and main round matches will be held in Romanian Cluj-Napoca and Katowice, Poland. The latter will also be the venue of the final weekend. The German team will play the preliminary round in Bratislava and then move to the main round in Katowice, where they will stay in the event of a semi-final move. 24 nations participate in the European Championship. The preliminary round is held in six groups of four. The first and second groups enter the main round. The results from the matches against the also advanced teams are taken. In two groups of six, the four teams that move into the semi-finals are determined in the main round. The winners of the semi-finals fight for the title in the final. The DHB women start on 4 December (6 pm) with their preliminary round match in Group F against Sweden in the tournament. Two days later (December 6, 3:30 p.m.), the German women meet the Serbs. In the last preliminary round match (8 December, 6 p.m.), the hostesses from Slovakia are waiting. In the event of a main round entry, it would then continue in Katowice from 11 December. Further match days in the main round are 13, 15 and 16 December. In the main round group II, the DHB team will meet the two group bests of the preliminary round group D (Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria, Croatia) and the preliminary round group E (France, Poland, Faroe Islands and Ukraine).The two semi-finals and the match for fifth place will take place on 18. December, the game for bronze and the final on December 20. The preliminary round games of the German teamDatetumGegnerTV4.12., 18:00SchwedenZDF6.12., 15.30:00SerbienARD8.12., 18:00SlovakeiARD In December 2025, the German handballers won the first medal in 18 years with World Cup silver – it was the long-awaited breakthrough to the world’s top. Thus, the DHB team is definitely among the circle of medal candidates at the upcoming European Championship, alongside top teams such as France, the Netherlands and the absolute title favorites from Norway. However, the road to the knockout phase is much harder at European championships than at world championships and nobody will underestimate the German team anymore. Already in the preliminary and main round, the German team has to deal with strong opponents like Sweden. For this, national coach Markus Gaugisch draws on his proven team around captain Antje Döll, goalkeeper Katharina Filter, Emily Vogel and Alina Grijseels. In the defense - the poster child of the German game - Gaugisch has to replan compared to the previous year, however. In June, defense specialist Aimee of Pereira announced her end of her career due to injury. Defense chief Xenia Smits had a baby just a few weeks ago. Although national coach Gaugisch did not rule out her comeback at the European Championships, her use is currently unclear. Six weeks before the start of the tournament, there is an important location for the German team at the Golden League, an invitation tournament in Denmark. On Saturday, 24. October there will be the test against the second European Championship Denmark, one day later, on Sunday, 25. On October 30, national coach Markus Gaugisch announces his final squad for the European Championship. On 23 November, the national team will then start immediate preparation for the European Championships with the training camp in Ludwigsburg. In this context, the DHB women play again two international matches (26 November in Stuttgart and 28 November in Neu-Ulm) against last year's World Cup semi-final opponent France. ARD and ZDF broadcast all games with German participation live on television and in stream. In addition, selected non-German games will be seen in the stream. On sportschau.de there will also be further reporting, analyses and interviews about the tournament.