The Qualification Phase for the 2026 Men’s EHF EURO was completed on Sunday, 11 May, with all 32 teams – divided into eight groups of four teams each - participating entering the fray.

Four teams were already qualified before the start of the Qualification Phase – co-hosts Denmark, Norway and Sweden, plus reigning champions France – therefore 20 spots were still open, with the top two sides in each group, plus the best four third-placed sides progressing to the final tournament.

Three teams completed the Qualification Phase with six wins in six matches – the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship runners-up, Croatia, plus Slovenia and Iceland, securing their places early. But the battle for the last qualifying places was fierce, with everything decided in the last seconds of the matches.

There were several well-balanced groups, such as Group 4, where Spain triumphed and finished on the first place, with five wins and one loss, after some tough matches, such as a 31:30 win against Italy in the first round, or a 25:27 loss against Serbia.

Serbia followed up, but they did not clinch their place until the last round, when they took a 28:24 win against Italy, with the latter side finishing third and snatching their place as the second-best third-placed side, with two points secured against the teams which qualified from the group, and a goal difference of -8.

In Group 7, Germany, which finished fourth at the last EHF EURO edition, won the group with 10 points, thanks to four wins and two draws, including a 26:26 draw against Austria and a 32:32 draw against Switzerland.

While Germany won the group, the battle for the second place was fierce and decided only in the last match, as Austria took a 34:33 win against Switzerland on their home court. Therefore, Austria finished second, with eight points, while Switzerland were the third best third-placed side, with two points and a goal difference of -10.

Other teams which qualified in the last round were Romania and Poland, in Group 8. Once again, it went to the wire, as Romania travelled to Poland and lost, 29:30, after a topsy-turvy match, where Poland led by four goals in the second half, only to be left in need of a comeback late in the match. While Israel were also close to dropping a huge shock against Portugal, they eventually lost, 33:34, which meant that Poland finished second in the group and Romania were third, subsequently qualifying as the best third-placed side, with two points and a -5 goal difference.

Group 6 was also well-balanced and it was won by the Faroe Islands, which secured four wins in six matches and ended up on the first place, with nine points, one more than the Netherlands, thanks to their 35:27 win in the last match against Ukraine.

Ukraine, with two points and a -14 goal difference, were the last team to go through the third-place rankings, having two points and a -14 goal difference, seven goals higher than Lithuania, which was out of contention.

In Group 5, Croatia and Czechia had no issues of making it through, with 12 and eight points respectively, while Belgium and Luxembourg were only on two points and were out. 

Group 3 was also well-balanced, with several close encounters, but while Iceland finished top, with 12 points and six wins, Georgia ended second, with six points, two more than Greece, with the latter team out due to a worse goal difference, -23, than Ukraine.

In Group 2, Hungary (11 points) and Montenegro (nine points) were head and shoulders above the other sides, Finland (four points) and Slovakia (zero points), while in Group 1, North Macedonia followed Slovenia, thanks to a 26:17 win against Lithuania in the last match, after they had lost the first match, 27:29.

No team will make its debut at the EHF EURO, but Italy will be returning for the first time since 1998, while Georgia and the Faroe Islands will make their second appearance, after their debuts in 2024.

The draw for the preliminary round of the EHF EURO 2026 will take place in Herning, Denmark, on 15 May, at 18:00 CEST.

The competition will take place between 15 January and 1 February 2026 in Herning, Denmark, Baerum, Norway and Malmö and Kristianstad in Sweden.

Photo credit: Romanian Handball Federation / German Handball Federation