Preliminary round ends as 12 teams continue M18 EHF EURO 2026 title chase

The tournament got underway on 29 July with 24 teams, but only half of them remain in contention for the title after the conclusion of the preliminary round. 

Slovenia, Iceland, Denmark and Spain enter the main round with high hopes, having started their European campaigns with straight wins and finishing first in their respective preliminary round groups. Germany and Croatia also join the main round line-up after topping groups B and C, respectively.

France, Serbia, Portugal, Hungary, Poland and the Faroe Islands complete the main round list as the second-placed teams in each group. The teams that have not secured progression will play the intermediate round.

All Men’s 18 EHF EURO 2026 matches are streamed live on EHFTV (geo-blocking may apply). Check out where to watch the games to follow the future stars of the sport in action.

GROUP A

Slovenia, France, Sweden, North Macedonia

• Slovenia came out victorious from the high-octane clash in group A against France on Saturday (34:30), clinching their third consecutive win and entering the main round with a clean sheet; right back Jaka Podvrsic netted nine times to bring his tally to 31, as he currently sits in second place in the scorers' standings
• despite the defeat, France also secured progression, thanks to their previous wins against Sweden (31:26) and North Macedonia (36:25)
• Sweden will not be able to defend their 2024 title, as the side recorded only one victory in the preliminary round, in the final match against North Macedonia (33:29) — not enough to advance to the next stage of the competition
• Slovenia and France will feature in group I of the main round alongside Germany and Serbia

GROUP B

Germany, Serbia, Italy, Türkiye

• Germany climbed to the top of the group standings with two wins and one draw — the latter against hosts Serbia (27:27); the three-time champions have stunned the crowd in the preliminary round with strong triumphs against Türkiye (45:23) and Italy (48:26)
• Serbia added a second preliminary round win in the clash on Saturday against Italy (32:18), led by a talented trio in attack — Stefan Stojinovic, Aleksandar Stojkovic and Filip Blecic scored seven times each
• Italy's only points came from the 41:23 victory over Türkiye, failing to make it to the main round once again
• Germany and Serbia will continue the title hunt in group I alongside Slovenia and France

GROUP C

Croatia, Portugal, Czechia, Israel

• with two victories each, Croatia and Portugal booked their tickets for group II of the main round, where they will face Iceland and Hungary
• the 26:24 victory in the direct clash of the preliminary round helped Croatia finish on top of the group in the standings, followed by Portugal on the same number of points
• this result gives the Croatian squad more confidence after their 2024 campaign, when they finished 13th — their worst outcome in the competition

GROUP D

Iceland, Hungary, Switzerland, Montenegro

• having finished just outside the podium in 2024, in fourth, Iceland have big dreams for this year's championship; they have secured first place in the standings and their main round participation with straight wins
• Hungary enjoyed a strong end to the preliminary round with a 33:24 victory over Montenegro, after previously suffering a clear defeat against Iceland (28:41)
• Iceland and Hungary advance to the main round and will feature in group II, alongside Croatia and Portugal

GROUP E

Denmark, Poland, Norway, Slovakia

• Denmark ended the preliminary round undefeated, continuing their streak with a clear 35:23 victory over Poland; their squad clearly dominated the group, winning each game by more than 10 goals
• after finishing 18th in the previous edition, Poland have bigger dreams this time around, securing a main round appearance following a strong performance at the start of the competition — their only loss so far was against 2024 silver medallists Denmark (23:35)
• Slovakian back player Jakub Valent ended the round on 32 goals to lead the top scorers' standings, as his side failed to advance in the competition and will play the intermediate round
• Denmark and Poland continue the race for the trophy in group III, where they meet Spain and the Faroe Islands

GROUP F

Spain, Faroe Islands, Finland, Austria

• all but one Spanish field player found the net in the clash against Finland on Saturday (41:17), helping the side celebrate progression to the main round with a clear winning streak; Spanish goalkeeper Rubén Cardeñosa López stood out with 18 saves at 51.43 per cent efficiency in this encounter
• the Faroe Islands snatched a point against Austria (26:26) in a thrilling end to the preliminary round, joining the line-up for the main round as the second-placed team of the group; the Faroese previously lost against group leaders Spain (32:37) and took a 38:31 victory over Finland
• centre back Boas Ellefsen á Skipagøtu — who carries a well-known name in the handball world — is currently fourth in the rankings with 27 goals, including five netted against Austria
• Spain and the Faroe Islands will clash with Denmark and Poland in group III of the main round

Photos © Lucija Begenisic (main & in-text)