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32 nations learn opponents for Men’s EHF EURO 2022 qualification

17 Jun. 2020

32 nations learn opponents for Men’s EHF EURO 2022 qualification

The draw for the final qualification stage on the path to the Men’s EHF EURO 2022 was held on Tuesday night at the EHF office in Vienna, with the 32 teams set to vie for the remaining places at the final tournament learning their playing groups and opponents. 

The event in Hungary and Slovakia in January 2022 will see the European title decided. The two host nations as well as defending European champions Spain and 2020 runners-up Croatia are directly qualified for the EURO 2022. 

Current world champions Denmark had a shock early exit at the EHF EURO 2020, being eliminated in the preliminary round. They will begin their EHF EURO 2022 qualification campaign in Group 7, meeting North Macedonia, Switzerland and Finland. 

The silver medallists from the 2019 IHF Men’s World Championship, Norway, claimed their first EHF EURO medal at the 2020 edition, defeating Slovenia in the bronze-medal match. The Scandinavian team will play from qualification Group 6, against Belarus, Latvia and Italy. Slovenia were drawn into Group 5, where they will take on the Netherlands, Poland and Turkey. 

World and Olympic champions Denmark were not the only surprise early elimination from the EHF EURO 2020: record world champions France were also knocked out in the preliminary round and finished with their lowest EURO ranking in history. France’s qualification opponents in Group 1 – Serbia, Belgium and Greece – will have to be prepared to face a side eager to return to the top.

2016 European champions Germany were drawn into Group 2, where they will play Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Estonia. Group 3 will feature the Czech Republic, Russia, Ukraine and the Faroe Islands, while Iceland, Portugal, Lithuania and Israel will play from Group 4. Co-hosts of the EHF EURO 2020, Sweden, will play their qualification campaign from Group 8, meeting Montenegro, Romania and Kosovo. 

The final qualification stage for the EHF EURO 2022 will begin in November, with the first- and second-ranked teams in each group securing a place at the final tournament. The four best third-ranked teams overall will also proceed to the final tournament. 

All qualification groups will play six rounds of matches, with the teams meeting each other side in the group twice – once home, once away. 

More information on the Men’s EHF EURO 2022 can be found on the official website of the EHF.

PHOTO: European Handball Federation