Six EHF EURO spots up for grabs in qualifiers showdown
The Women's EHF EURO 2026 Qualifiers are coming to an end on Sunday evening, with 12 simultaneously played matches completing the line-up for the final tournament. With two direct places still up for grabs and the race to finish among the four best third-placed teams wide open, it promises a busy and exciting night with Iceland hosting Portugal in the Highlight Match in group 4 (live on EHFTV with English commentary).
We have already secured our place at the European Championship with the win over Finland, which was our main objective, but there is no room for relaxation. The goal is to win and finish the qualifiers with a victory in front of our fans. We saw in the first match against Kosovo that we need to stay fully concentrated and focused to avoid letting our opponents get into a goal-for-goal rhythm, which can lead to unnecessary uncertainty later on. All in all, I expect us to close out the qualifiers with a win.
I expect us to stay in line with what we did against Kosovo — that is, a style of play focused on exploiting open space. I’d like us to be more solid defensively. Based on what I observed in Thursday’s match, I will probably give more playing time to the players I’m still getting to know.
The win over Italy was a strong start to this international break, but we want to finish it off with the same intensity. Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, we want to dominate again, but we also want to give young talents the chance to prove themselves. This kind of matches is essential for their development and for the depth of our squad.
Switzerland are a team that have made significant progress over the last three years. We expect a very strong home team, with a top-notch counterattack and a very strong defence that closes down the central space and creates serious problems for attackers. But we must continue with the same game plan we implemented this week and remain focused, especially on defence, to prevent them from playing their game.
We have to play aggressively, fight for every ball, and stay focused until the very end. We still have a chance to qualify for the European Championship, which makes every goal extremely important for us. I believe that with heart, character, and team spirit, we can achieve a result that will mean a lot to us.
We are very pleased with the performance we delivered against Iceland on our amazing home court. Now we head to Montenegro, ready to give everything we have and finish the week strong against a tough opponent away from home.
We don't have much time to think and decide. A very important match awaits us, the most important so far, but I believe that my team can provide an adequate and good game and secure a place in the European Championship. We have one more step left and I think we are ready to take it.
This is our final match of the season, and even though we have already qualified for the European Championship, it will still be very important for us. Above all, it will be the last time ever we see two of our greatest players of all time in the Swedish national team jersey — at least, as players.
Jamina and Nathalie are two unique players who, for many years, have contributed so much to Swedish and European handball. They are key players, world stars and players who have carried this national team. So it will not only be a special match for them — I believe it will also be special for all of us around the team and everyone in the stands.
