European powerhouses discover their fate in Women’s EHF EURO 2022 draw

25 Mar. 2021

European powerhouses discover their fate in Women’s EHF EURO 2022 draw

The countdown towards the Women’s EHF EURO 2022, the first tournament to be hosted by three countries, Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro, started today (25 March), with 21 teams finding out their path to the tournament that will take place in November 2022.

Six groups with four teams each will tough it out for the 12 remaining spots at the Women’s EHF EURO 2022, with the winners being joined by the second-placed teams to the tournament hosted by the four venues, Ljubljana and Celje in Slovenia, Skopje in North Macedonia and Podgorica in Montenegro.

The tournament will consist of 16 teams, with hosts and reigning champions Norway being joined by the top two teams in each group.

The draw for Qualification Phase 2 took place today at the EHF Office in Vienna, with the draw being conducted by EHF President Michael Wiederer and EHF Secretary General Martin Hausleitner

Reigning world champions the Netherlands have been drawn in Group 3, alongside Germany, Belarus and the winner of Group 2 of the Qualification Phase 1, which consists of Greece, Italy, Bosnia Herzegovina and Latvia.

Germany’s coach, Henk Groener, will face his former side, which he coached between 2009 and 2016.

The hosts of the 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship and the silver medallists at Japan 2019, Spain, are facing Hungary, Slovakia and the winner of Group 1 of the Qualification Phase 1 in Group 5, holding big chances to qualify for their 11th Women’s EHF EURO in a row.

Reigning Olympic champions Russia have been drawn in Group 1 and will face Poland, Switzerland and Lithuania, with the top two seeds clear-cut favourites to proceed to the tournament due to be hosted between 4 and 20 November 2022.

Scandinavian powerhouse Denmark headline Group 2, one of the most balanced of the Qualification Phase 2 of the Women’s EHF EURO 2020. The Danish side will face Romania, Austria and the winner of Group 3 of the Qualification Phase 1, which holds the Faroe Islands, Israel and Finland.

Romania and Austria, the teams which are likely to be vying for the second place in the group, have last met in the 2017 IHF Women’s World Championship play-off, when Romania took a convincing 67:53 aggregate win against the Austrian side coached by Romanian-born coach Herbert Muller.

Meanwhile, France and Sweden should be the prime picks to advance from Groups 4 and 6 in the Women’s EHF EURO 2022 Qualification Phase 2. The French side must finish top-two in a group which also features Croatia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, while Sweden, who qualified for the Olympic Games and aim for their 11th EHF EURO berth in a row, face Serbia, Iceland and Turkey.

Group 1: Russia, Poland, Switzerland, Lithuania
Group 2: Denmark, Romania, Austria, QP1 Winner Group 3
Group 3: Netherlands, Germany, Belarus, QP1 Winner Group 2
Group 4: France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ukraine
Group 5: Spain, Hungary, Slovakia, QP1 Winner Group 1
Group 6: Sweden, Serbia, Iceland, Turkey

Qualification Phase 1

QP1 Group 1: Portugal, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Cyprus
QP1 Group 2: Greece, Italy, Bosnia Herzegovina, Latvia
QP1 Group 3: Faroe Islands, Israel, Finland

Qualification Phase 1 will take place in three tournaments between 31 May and 6 June 2021, while Qualification Phase 2 is bound to start on 6/7 and 8/9 October 2021 with the first two rounds.

Visit the EHF EURO website for more information.

Photo: European Handball Federation