Hungary are the last team to complete the quarter-finals bracket at the 2026 IHF Women's Youth World Championship, staying undefeated for their fifth match in a row, where they took a 41:36 win against the People's Republic of China.

In Group I, Spain finished first, courtesy of their win against Montenegro, 35:33.

Main Round Group II
Spain vs Montenegro 35:33 (17:17)

With perfect records at the 2026 IHF Women's Youth World Championship, Spain and Montenegro met to decide first place in Main Round Group II ahead of the quarter-finals. Ultimately, Montenegro had to accept their first defeat of the tournament.

Already assured of their places in the last eight, both sides played with confidence and freedom, producing an entertaining first half. The lead changed hands repeatedly during the opening 20 minutes, with neither team able to establish more than a two-goal cushion. Montenegro twice moved two goals ahead at 9:7 and 10:8 before extending their advantage to 11:9, thanks to another solid defensive display.

However, suspensions and spells without a goalkeeper proved costly. Spain capitalised immediately, punishing the numerical advantage with quick transitions. Iraia Berroeta Sánchez completed the turnaround by scoring her fourth goal of the afternoon to put Spain 13:12 ahead.

The reigning champions looked set to carry the lead into half-time, but several important saves from Maša Dubljević denied them that opportunity, ensuring the teams went into the break level at 17:17.

Spain controlled much of the second half, holding a slender lead that eventually grew to three goals at 27:24, with Elena Fresco Bastarrika converting all seven of her attempts up to that point. However, Montenegro refused to back down and produced a stunning 6:1 run in less than six minutes, turning a three-goal deficit into a 31:29 lead.

The drama was far from over, as Spain immediately responded with another defensive surge, forcing Montenegro into rushed attacks and converting a series of fast breaks to reclaim the lead at 32:31 within two minutes. That proved to be the decisive spell, as the reigning champions held on for a thrilling 35:33 victory.

Twelve of Spain's 14 outfield players found the net, with Player of the Match Elena Fresco Bastarrika and Iraia Berroeta Sánchez scoring seven goals each. Andelina Orbović and Ivana Savić led Montenegro with six goals apiece.

Spain will meet Switzerland in the quarter-finals, a repeat of their W17 EHF EURO 2025 quarter-final, which Spain won 29:27. Montenegro will face reigning W17 EHF EURO 2025 champions Slovakia, who defeated them 29:27 in the semi-finals of that competition.

Player of the Match: Elena Fresco Bastarrika (Spain)

Group III
Hungary vs People's Republic of China 41:36 (21:20)

With a win over the People's Republic of China, Hungary became the last team to book a quarter-final ticket at Romania 2026. The Hungarians leapfrogged their rivals to finish top of the group, while the Asian side, who had already secured a historic top-eight finish the day before, ended the main round in second place.

The two teams combined for 41 goals in a high-scoring first half, as both Hungary and China looked sharper in attack than in defence, while the goalkeepers had little impact. The Europeans appeared more determined and finished the opening 30 minutes with a shooting efficiency of 81%, compared to China's 74%.

Hungary's free-flowing attack helped them establish a comfortable lead for much of the first half, with the gap reaching six goals at both 16:10 and 17:11. Five minutes before the break, they were firmly in control at 20:15, but a lapse in concentration led to several turnovers, allowing China to reduce the deficit to just one goal. The Asians even had a chance to draw level before half-time, but Yiyao Sha's effort was denied by Lara Körmendi.

China took their first lead of the match, 22:21, shortly after the restart. The game then became a tense affair, with the lead changing hands several times, before Hungary pulled clear again midway through the second half, moving 30:27 ahead thanks to a 3:0 run.

Inspired by Player of the Match Shuoyan Zhang and Yiyao Sha, who scored nine and eight goals respectively, China fought back to level the score at 31:31. However, Hungary had more left in the closing stages. Centre back Blanka Szigeti produced a flawless attacking display, scoring eight goals from eight attempts while also creating several more chances for her teammates, helping Hungary surpass the 40-goal mark and bring China's unbeaten run at the tournament to an end.

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