2028 European Men's Handball Championship qualification

Last updated

This article describes the qualification process for the 2028 European Men's Handball Championship and EHF Euro Cup. [1]

Contents

Format

Prior to the qualification, four teams were automatically qualified:

The remaining eligible teams contest a qualification tournament to determine the teams securing the remaining 20 places in the final tournament. The qualification tournament consists of three rounds: qualification phase 1, promotion round, and qualification phase 2.

Qualification Phase 1

Since only four teams participate in this round, no draw was needed.

Standings

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 32109267+255 Promotion round
2Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus 32019167+244
3Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria (H)31117862+163
4Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 300345110650
Source: EHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
(H) Hosts

Results

All times are local (UTC+2).

10 January 2025
15:00
Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svg37–14Flag of Malta.svg  Malta Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna
Attendance: 50
Referees: Bujupi, Bujupi (KOS)
Pereira 6(18–7)three players 2
 Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg Report Yellow card.svg Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg
10 January 2025
17:30
Cyprus  Flag of Cyprus.svg22–21Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna
Attendance: 600
Referees: Pirvu, Potirniche (ROU)
Karkalatos 6(9–11)three players 5
Yellow card.svg Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg Report  Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg

11 January 2025
15:00
Cyprus  Flag of Cyprus.svg26–28Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna
Attendance: 150
Referees: Pirvu, Potirniche (ROU)
Argyrou 6(11–15) Hirel 6
Yellow card.svg Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg Report Yellow card.svg Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg Red card.svg
11 January 2025
17:30
Bulgaria  Flag of Bulgaria.svg30–13Flag of Malta.svg  Malta Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna
Attendance: 1,000
Referees: Bujupi, Bujupi (KOS)
Yorgov 9(13–5) Harrison 4
 Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg Report

12 January 2025
13:00
Malta  Flag of Malta.svg18–43Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna
Attendance: 200
Referees: Bujupi, Bujupi (KOS)
Harrison, Spiteri 4(8–18) Karkalatos 11
 Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg Report  Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg
12 January 2025
15:30
Bulgaria  Flag of Bulgaria.svg27–27Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna
Attendance: 2,500
Referees: Pirvu, Potirniche (ROU)
Dimitrov 6(11–13) Pereira, Yonish 6
Yellow card.svg Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg Report  Number 2 in light blue rounded square.svg

Promotion round

Six teams participate in this round: the first and seconde of the Phase 1, the three of the lowest-ranked fourth-ranked teams in the 2026 European Men's Handball Championship qualification and the best European team of the 2025 IHF Emerging Nations Championship. It will be held between 6 and 12 January 2026. [2] The draw took place on 26 June 2025. [3] [4]

Participating teams

Qualification methodTeam(s)
First and seconde of Qualification Phase 1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus
Three of the lowest-ranked fourth-ranked teams in the Men's EHF EURO 2026 Qualifiers Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia
Best European team at the 2025 IHF Emerging Nations Championship Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria

Seeding

The seeding was announced on 24 June 2025. [3]

Pot 1Pot 2
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria

Overview

Team 1 Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Bulgaria  Flag of Bulgaria.svgFlag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 7–8 Jan10–11 Jan
Cyprus  Flag of Cyprus.svgFlag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 7–8 Jan10–11 Jan
Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svgFlag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 7–8 Jan10–11 Jan

Matches

7–8 January 2026 Bulgaria  Flag of Bulgaria.svgvFlag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
Report
10–11 January 2026 Turkey  Flag of Turkey.svgvFlag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria
Report

7–8 January 2026 Cyprus  Flag of Cyprus.svgvFlag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Report
10–11 January 2026 Estonia  Flag of Estonia.svgvFlag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus
Report

7–8 January 2026 Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svgvFlag of Latvia.svg  Latvia
Report
10–11 January 2026 Latvia  Flag of Latvia.svgvFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Report

Qualification Phase 2

Like in previous cycles, 32 teams will be divided into eight groups of four, to be played as round-robin tournaments. The eight group winners and runners-up qualify for the final tournament, together with the four best third-placed teams, which will be determined taking into account only results against top two teams in each group. It will be played between November 2026 and May 2027.

Qualified teams

CountryQualified asDate qualification was securedPrevious appearances in tournament
Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal Co-hosts20 November 20218 ( 1994 , 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2020, 2022, 2024)
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 16 (1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 , 2020 , 2022, 2024)
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 5 (2002, 2004, 2006 , 2020, 2024)

Note: Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.

References

  1. "EHF EURO hosts for 2026 & 2028 confirmed". European Handball Federation. 20 November 2021. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  2. "Great Britain and Cyprus to EHF EURO 2028 Promotion Round". EHF. 13 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 "How to follow Men's EHF EURO 2028 Qualifiers promotion round draw". EHF. 24 June 2025.
  4. "Next step in Men's EHF EURO 2028 Qualifiers set". EHF. 26 June 2025.