The 2026 IHF Women's Youth World Championship continues on Thursday, 30 July, when all 32 teams will play their second matches at the group stage.

Romanian cities Craiova, Mioveni, Pitești and Râmnicu Vâlcea will host more entertaining games, and the first teams progressing to the main round are likely to be named, as well as some sides who will head to the President's Cup.

Group A
11:45 EEST — Republic of Fiji v Croatia
14:00 EEST — France v Egypt

Group B
16:15 EEST — Mexico v Denmark
18:30 EEST — Czechia v Republic of Korea

Group C
11:45 EEST — Uzbekistan v Spain
14:00 EEST — Germany v Guinea

Group D
16:15 EEST — Portugal v Montenegro
18:30 EEST — Argentina v Netherlands

Group E
11:45 EEST — Canada v Hungary
14:00 EEST — Sweden v Tunisia

Group F
16:15 EEST — Uruguay v People's Republic of China
18:30 EEST — Romania v Kazakhstan

Group G
11:45 EEST — Angola v Slovakia
14:00 EEST — Japan v Brazil

Group H
16:15 EEST — Algeria v Switzerland
18:30 EEST — Serbia v Slovenia

14:00 EEST France vs Egypt

Both teams started Romania 2026 with victories and top Group A with two points each. The winner of their clash will therefore have a good chance of reaching the main round. France claimed the biggest win on the opening day of the competition, defeating debutants Republic of Fiji 55:2.

The European team scored as many as 24 goals from fast breaks, and all 14 outfield players put their names on the scoresheet, with Grace Mpioso leading the way with 10 goals. Goalkeepers Gabrielle Kabeya Tshisola and Nayla Pennavayre also contributed to the big win, combining for 11 saves. It was actually France's biggest-ever win at the IHF Women's Youth World Championship and the biggest-ever margin in the competition's history.

However, France will now face a stronger opponent, as Egypt opened the tournament with a 27:24 win over Croatia - a result that may play a crucial role in the group. This result should give the African side a moral boost, so the Egyptians, who finished just 21st at China 2024, are now determined to challenge the French side.

16:15 EEST Portugal vs Montenegro

This all-European clash features two teams who enjoyed a victorious start to their campaigns. However, the storylines behind their opening matches were very different.

Portugal claimed their biggest-ever win at the IHF Women's Youth World Championship, defeating Argentina by 16 goals, 34:18. Goalkeeper Leonor Ramos did a great job between the posts, delivering 14 saves for a 52% save rate, and Catarina Bernardino contributed heavily in attack, converting all 10 of her attempts.

In contrast, Montenegro's win over the Netherlands was hard-fought, reflected in the final score of 27:26. Goalkeeper Maša Dubljević made 13 saves, while Lara Burzanović found the net eight times, with their individual efforts among the key factors that helped the Balkan side claim two points.

Last year, Montenegro won bronze at the W17 EHF EURO 2025 in their home country, while Portugal finished only 15th and needed a wild card to qualify for Romania 2026. The Balkan side will be seen as favourites on Thursday, but it is Portugal who top Group D for now, and they will do their best to stay there.

18:30 EEST Czechia vs Republic of Korea

For Czechia, the opening match against debutants Mexico was a good chance to rewrite some team records. By winning 42:16, the European side celebrated their biggest-ever victory at the IHF Women's Youth World Championship, by 26 goals, and also posted their biggest-ever tally in a single match at this level, 42 goals.

Linda Máčalová led the Czech attack by example, scoring 10 goals, and Barbora Hanzlíková added eight more. Overall, 12 of Czechia's 14 outfield players found the net at least once, while goalkeepers Tereza Skopcová and Justýna Hodková combined for 15 saves.

The Republic of Korea were less fortunate in their opening match, failing to take any points on Wednesday. The 2022 IHF Women's Youth World Championship winners fought extremely hard against two-time champions Denmark but ultimately lost by just one goal, 32:33.

However, the Asian side still have a chance to progress to the main round. They now need to beat Czechia, and if the Koreans manage it, they will remain in the fight for a top-16 finish.

18:30 EEST Serbia vs Slovenia

This is another all-European duel that might prove crucial for both sides. Following the opening matches, Serbia are in a better position, but Slovenia also remain in the fight for a main-round berth.

The game against Algeria, the only non-European team in Group H, was no walk in the park for Serbia. The sides were level at half-time, 13:13, but the Balkan side stepped up after the restart, with Anđela Nestorović's 47% save efficiency being one of the key factors behind their 28:22 win.

In stark contrast, the Slovenian goalkeepers put on a below-par performance in their opening encounter with Switzerland, combining for just five saves across 60 minutes. As a result, even despite Liana Vukovic's nine goals, Slovenia came up short, losing 28:31 in a tough battle.

Slovenia will now face a do-or-die match against Serbia, and they are likely to miss out on a main-round spot with another defeat. But last year, the Slovenes beat Serbia in the group stage of the W17 EHF EURO 2025 (29:23) - and now they are determined to repeat the feat.