The Women’s Under-17 European Championship (W17 EHF EURO) will throw off on Wednesday, 30 July, in Podgorica, Montenegro. Although this is the first edition of the tournament to feature 24 teams, it is the 16th overall and the third straight time Montenegro has hosted the event. The top 14 teams will qualify for the 2026 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship.

With the tournament expanding from 16 to 24 teams, traditional powerhouses will be joined by emerging nations, all vying for a place on next year’s world stage. The 24 teams are split into six groups of four. The top two from each group advance to the main round, which will then form three new groups of four. From there, the best two teams in each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, move on to the quarter-finals and remain in the running for the title.

Group A is especially competitive, featuring last year’s runners-up Denmark, as well as Sweden, Spain, and Türkiye. Germany enters Group B as the favorite, facing Portugal, North Macedonia, and Slovakia. Group C promises tight competition between the Netherlands, Iceland, Switzerland, and the Faroe Islands.

Hungary, champions in 2019 and 2021, are favorites in Group D alongside Norway, Serbia, and Slovenia. Group E includes reigning champions France, hosts Montenegro, Czechia, and Lithuania. Group F appears well-balanced, with Croatia, Romania, Austria, and Poland fighting for main round positions.

This generation of players has just competed at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) last week, where Germany secured the title, with Switzerland coming second and Iceland finished third.

The preliminary round is scheduled from 30 July to 2 August, with the main round on 4 and 5 August. Quarter-finals will be held on 7 August, semi-finals on 8 August, and the medal matches will conclude the event on 10 August.

Historically, Denmark and Russia are the most successful nations, each with three titles, followed by France and Hungary, who have each won twice.

Photo credit: Hungarian Handball Federation