Denmark survived a challenge from the Republic of Korea to take a 33:32 win in their opener at Romania 2026, while Montenegro also secured a one-goal win, 27:26, against the Netherlands. The People's Republic of China and Switzerland also won their first matches, against Kazakhstan and Slovenia respectively.

Group B
Denmark vs Republic of Korea 33:32 (15:13)

The opening match of Group B lived up to its billing, as Denmark and Republic of Korea delivered a high-intensity, hard-fought contest. The lead changed hands throughout the first half, with neither side able to establish a clear advantage in the opening stages.

Denmark were the first to move beyond a one-goal cushion, going 7:5 up in the 14th minute, but their advantage didn't last long. Korea's seven-against-six attack, coupled with a 3-3 defence, disrupted Denmark's rhythm and sparked a scoring run that turned the match around, putting the Asian side 10:8 ahead.

Denmark then went in pursuit of the deficit, looking to regain control. A stronger defensive spell brought goalkeeper Thilde Ladegaard Skov into the game, and the Danes gradually found their footing. It proved enough for another turnaround before the break, as Denmark reclaimed the lead and headed into halftime with a two-goal advantage.

There was no shortage of excitement after the restart either, as Denmark managed to protect their cushion until the 42nd minute, when Minji Kang brought Korea back level at 21:21. Both sides continued to trade blows, with only fine margins separating them as the match entered its decisive stages.

Korea moved in front at 27:25, only for Denmark to respond once again, and the pattern continued into the closing minutes. With a second-ever win against Denmark at this level within reach, Korea's eagerness ultimately proved costly, as turnovers hampered their chances and allowed Denmark to claim a one-goal victory.

The 33:32 result marked Denmark's fifth win against Korea at the IHF Women's Youth World Championship, giving the previous edition's silver medallists a winning start to their campaign. Mille Spellerberg, named Player of the Match, scored nine goals, while Eunyul Kim matched that tally as Korea's leading scorer.

Korea continue their Group B campaign against Czechia, while Denmark face Mexico as they look to take a significant step toward the main round.

Player of the Match: Mille Spellerberg (Denmark)

Group D
Montenegro vs Netherlands 27:26 (14:12)

W17 EHF EURO 2025 bronze medallists Montenegro, led by Ivana Savić, carved out a two-goal advantage by halftime, but had to work hard for it against a persistent Netherlands side.

The Dutch stayed on their opponents' heels throughout the opening 30 minutes, although they only held the lead twice, at 4:3 and 9:8. Montenegro remained composed in the key moments and didn't allow the pressure to throw them off course. Goalkeeper Maša Dubljević also made several important saves, particularly late in the half, keeping the Netherlands at bay and allowing her side to stay in front.

Neither team managed to break away in the second half either, though Montenegro spent most of it in the lead. Both sides went through difficult attacking spells, including three separate stretches of around three minutes without a goal, but every time one team appeared ready to gain the upper hand, the other found an answer.

That left everything open in the closing five minutes, with the score locked at 25:25. Lara Burzanović and Ivana Kwakman carried much of the attacking load for their respective sides, each scoring eight goals, but it was the goalkeepers who had the final say. Camay Berkhout finished with a 38% save efficiency for the Netherlands, yet it was Dubljević who produced the crucial save in the dying moments to preserve Montenegro's slender 27:26 victory.

Group D continues with Montenegro facing Portugal, while the Netherlands turn their focus to Argentina.

Player of the Match: Maša Dubljević (Montenegro)

Group F
People’s Republic of China vs Kazakhstan 43:17 (22:9)

Last year, when the People’s Republic of China were crowned champions at the 2025 AHF Asian Women's Youth Handball Championship, they secured a 34:25 win against Kazakhstan and were aiming to repeat that performance at Romania 2026.

And they had no issues in completing their objective and opening their account in the competition, after a strong display, especially in defence, which fueled some crucial fast breaks, enabling them to open a big lead even at the break.

Kazakhstan could only manage to stay close for the first 10 minutes, when they were down a single goal, 6:7, but then China embarked on a decisive 7:0 unanswered run, which was the backbone of their win.

Zifeng Li and Yutong Liu each scored three goals in that run, which opened an eight-goal lead, 7:6, with another 4:0 unanswered run, boosted by a 3:0 unanswered run helping them set a 13-goal lead at the break, 22:9.

Goalkeeper Siqi Yu hovered around the 50% saving efficiency mark throughout the match, even exceeding after 40 minutes, as Kazakhstan’s shooting efficiency dropped more and more, hitting 30% at one point.

On the back of that performance, China continued to make the lead even bigger, as only outfield player did not score for the Asian champions. Eventually, China secured a 43:17 win, improving their chances for a main round spot and another top-16 finish at the end of the competition.

Player of the Match: Shuoyan Zhang (People’s Republic of China)

Group H
Switzerland vs Slovenia 31:28 (17:15)

In an all-European battle, Slovenia enjoyed the better start, opening up a 3:0 lead before left wing Lauryn Mierzwa got Switzerland on the board. The Swiss soon found their rhythm, however, and began to claw their way back.

After a long chase, Switzerland drew level at 9:9 in the 17th minute, but needed eight more minutes to take their first lead, 14:13. The unstoppable Mierzwa, who put them ahead, scored seven goals from as many attempts before the break, while goalkeeper Jael Billeter produced a string of saves to help her side into a two-goal lead at half-time.

Slovenia's goalkeeping duo combined for just five saves across the entire match, and Switzerland rode that momentum to stretch their lead to 24:19 by the 43rd minute. But powered by Liana Vukovic in attack, Slovenia clawed back within two goals with 10 minutes remaining, 23:25.

Switzerland held their nerve, though. Mierzwa took control in a crucial spell, scoring four goals between the 51st and 56th minutes. She finished with 14 goals overall — nearly half of her team's total — while Billeter closed out the game with a 40% save rate. Slovenia fought until the final whistle, but it was Switzerland who celebrated a hard-earned three-goal win.

Player of the Match: Lauryn Mierzwa (Switzerland)