The 17th Mediterranean Women’s Handball Championship – the Jean Ferignac Trophy – threw off on Monday, 26 February, in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, with eight teams at the start.

The competition is reserved for Under-16 teams, with players born 2008 or younger, as reigning champions, Spain, are joined by hosts Montenegro, Croatia, Italy, Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Türkiye, to complete the eight-team line-up.

This time around, only European sides have lined up at the start, in the traditional competition which usually takes place at the end of February and in the start of March, with Spain aiming to extend their unbeaten streak, which saw them take the trophy in the previous edition, which took place in Greece in 2023.

Hosts Montenegro will be aiming to deliver good performances and secure the trophy which they took in 2022, on their home court, as the matches will take place in the Verde Complex in Podgorica.

The competition will take place in a round-robin format, with the best two sides at the end of the group phase battling for the big trophy, while the third and the fourth-placed teams will compete for the bronze medal.

The 17th Mediterranean Women’s Handball Championship – the Jean Ferignac Trophy will take place between 26 February and 2 March, with the placement matches and the final being scheduled for Saturday, 2 March.

Photo credit: Montenegrin Handball Federation