The semi-finals are now complete at the 2026 IHF Women's Youth World Championship, after Montenegro beat Slovakia, 33:32, and Denmark dominated from start to finish against Hungary, clinching a 24:20 win over Hungary.

Quarter-final
Hungary vs Denmark 20:24 (8:11)

After both reaching the podium at the previous two editions—Denmark claiming silver and Hungary bronze—one of the two sides was destined to leave Romania 2026 without a medal after their quarter-final clash.

Denmark made the stronger start, relying once again on an excellent defensive display and an inspired Thilde Ladegaard Skov between the posts, as she stopped eight of Hungary's 14 shots in the opening 30 minutes. She helped the Scandinavians keep their opponents to just two goals in the first 16 minutes.

Unable to find solutions against the Danish defence, Hungary struggled with rushed shots and managed an attacking efficiency of only 20%, while Denmark, led by Sara Skou Norby, built a commanding 7:2 advantage.

Once Hungary finally ended their nine-minute scoring drought, the momentum gradually shifted. Vivien Tábit produced several important saves, while the Hungarians tightened their defence and kept Denmark scoreless between the 17th and 25th minutes.

That allowed them to cut the deficit to just one goal at 8:7 in the 24th minute, setting up an intriguing second half. Both sides also struggled to take care of the ball, combining for 25 first-half turnovers—14 by Denmark and 11 by Hungary.

Denmark regained control after the restart, restoring a five-goal cushion at 14:9. Hungary responded with a mini comeback to close the gap to 14:12, but, led by Mille Spellerberg, the Scandinavians answered once again. By the 48th minute, they had pulled away to 20:15, matching their biggest lead of the match while reducing the attacking mistakes that had slowed them earlier.

Hungary made one final push in the closing stages, holding Denmark scoreless between the 49th and 55th minutes, but failed to make the most of the opportunity. The Hungarians reduced the deficit only to 20:17 before closing to within two goals again at 21:19 and 22:20, twice having the chance to cut it to a single goal. However, Denmark held their nerve in defence to book a place in the semi-finals for the eighth time in 10 appearances.

Hungary had 10 different scorers, with none finding the net more than four times, while goalkeeper Vivien Tábit finished with 10 saves. Denmark were led by Mille Spellerberg and Cecilie Lysen Dreisig, who scored five goals each, while Player of the Match Thilde Ladegaard Skov ended the game with 13 saves and a 43% save efficiency.

Hungary will continue in the 5–8 Placement Matches against Slovakia, while Denmark will face Montenegro for a place in the final.

Player of the Match: Thilde Ladegaard Skov (Denmark)

Quarter-final
Slovakia vs Montenegro 32:33 (17:14)

For only the second time in history, Montenegro have secured a semi-final berth at the IHF Women's Youth World Championship. After finishing fourth at North Macedonia 2014, the Balkan side now have another opportunity to claim their first medal. Despite the defeat, Slovakia also remain in contention to improve on their best-ever finish at this level, sixth place on home soil in 2008.

The goalkeepers on both sides were the standout performers in the opening stages. A series of saves from Maša Dubljević helped Montenegro open up an early 4:2 lead, but Slovakia's Anežka Stránska was equally impressive. The hosts did not concede for more than seven and a half minutes, using a 4:0 run to turn the score around and move 6:4 ahead.

From that point, Slovakia took control thanks to their free-flowing attack. While Andrija Jovanović scored five goals for Montenegro in the first half, Slovakia relied on a balanced team effort—and, of course, on Stránska's heroics, as she recorded a 40% save efficiency in the opening 30 minutes.

However, centre back Andrea Dragnić, together with the quick wings Andrija Jovanović and Jovana Tešović, helped Montenegro turn the tide soon after the restart. Between the 34th and 42nd minutes, the Balkan side produced a decisive 7:2 run, overturning a 15:19 deficit into a 22:21 lead. Their improved defence forced Slovakia into a string of turnovers, and with the hosts' goalkeeping becoming less effective, Montenegro extended their advantage to 30:27 with seven minutes remaining.

Slovakia refused to surrender and cut the deficit to a single goal on several occasions, the last coming through Lucia Valientová's strike in the dying seconds. However, Montenegro held their nerve to secure a hard-fought victory and gain revenge for their 27:29 defeat to Slovakia in the semi-finals of the W17 EHF EURO 2025.

Player of the Match: Andrea Dragnić (Montenegro)