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16 teams learn their fate for the Women’s EHF EURO 2022

29 Apr. 2022

16 teams learn their fate for the Women’s EHF EURO 2022

The draw for the 15th edition of the Women’s EHF EURO was held in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana on Thursday 28 April, as the 16 qualified teams learned their fate for the event after the conclusion of the Qualification Phase 2 last weekend.

24 teams battled for the 12 EHF EURO spots in the Qualification Phase 2, as powerhouses reigned supreme, with Denmark, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden winning their groups.

Other strong teams, like Romania and Croatia had to sweat until the last game to clinch their spots at the Women’s EHF EURO 2022, while perennial contenders Russia were eliminated by the European Handball Federation (EHF) as a consequence of their invasion of Ukraine, leaving the door open for a maiden qualification for Switzerland.

The 16 qualified teams were allocated to four pots, with the reigning champions Norway seeded in Pot 1 alongside reigning Olympic champions France. Two of the co-hosts, Slovenia and North Macedonia, were allocated to Pot 3, while the other co-hosts, Montenegro, started the draw in Pot 4.

The draw was held in Ljubljana, one of the four host cities of the tournament and host of the final weekend, in an idyllic backdrop of the Ljubljana Castle. Four national team players conducted the draw – Slovenia’s captain Ana Gros, Montenegro’s line player Tatjana Brnovic, North Macedonia’s left back Andrea Sedloska and Hungary’s right back Szimonetta Planeta – alongside Chairman of the EHF Competition Commission Bozidar Djurkovic and EHF Secretary General Martin Hausleitner.

Reigning world and European champions Norway will start their title defence campaign in Group A, where they will face Hungary, Switzerland and the bronze medallists of the previous edition, Croatia.

Group B will feature 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship bronze medallists Denmark, who will face Sweden, co-hosts Slovenia and Serbia, while Olympic champions France face the Netherlands, Romania and North Macedonia in Group C, with crunch matches expected in Skopje.

Finally, Spain, Germany and Poland will face co-hosts Montenegro in Group D in Podgorica, with three sides progressing with the points taken against the other qualified teams into the main round, while each fourth-placed side being eliminated after the preliminary round.
 


The opening day of the final tournament on 4 November will see the defending champions Norway take on Hungary and Croatia lock horns with Switzerland in Ljubljana, while Denmark will face Slovenia and Sweden will play against Serbia in Celje.

The Women’s EHF EURO 2022 will take place in four venues – Ljubljana, Celje, Podgorica and Skopje – across three countries from 4 to 20 November, with the final weekend scheduled in the Arena Stozice in Ljubljana.

The Women’s EHF EURO 2022 will be the last continental championship to be played with 16 teams before its expansion to 24 teams in 2024.

For more information on the Women’s EHF EURO 2022, visit eurohandball.com.

Photo: EHF / Kolektiff Images