After an action-packed four days of beach handball in Varna, Bulgaria, where Sweden and Hungary won the Men’s and Women’s 17 EHF Beach Handball EUROs 2021, the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2021 throws off on the same beach with 18 men’s and 17 women’s teams.

Reigning champions Denmark, who won both the men’s and women’s competitions two years ago, eye to repeat their performance, albeit with a hefty list of opponents preparing to mount a serious challenge.

Eighteen men’s teams are ready in the coastal resort of Varna, a port at the Black Sea, divided into two groups of five teams and two groups of four teams. The top three teams in each group will progress to the main round, while the other sides will head to the consolation round.

The quarter-finals will pit together the best four teams in each main round group, with the winners of Group 1 meeting the fourth-placed team in Group 2.

Reigning champions Denmark will face Norway, 2017 European champions Spain, Romania and Turkey in Group A, while Group B features Hungary, Greece, Italy, France and Ukraine.

Hosts Bulgaria will have a tough challenge in Group C, where they will face Croatia, Poland and Sweden, while former European champions Russia were drawn in Group D, alongside the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal.

In the women’s tournament, the 17 competing teams are divided into one group of five teams and three groups of four teams. The top three teams from each group proceed to the main round, which begins on Thursday.

Reigning champions Denmark look to be favourites in Group A, where they will play against Turkey, Spain, Ukraine and hosts Bulgaria.

Group B is set to be a very tough affair, with four former European champions, Norway, Italy, Hungary and Croatia facing off, as Group C features another former champion, Germany, meeting Romania, Portugal and the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, in Group D, Russia face reigning world champions Greece, Poland and France. 

The semi-finals of both competitions are scheduled for Saturday, 17 July and all the finals are scheduled for Sunday, 18 July.

The entire event will be broadcasted on EHFTV.

For more information, visit the European Handball Federation website.

Photo: European Handball Federation