24 teams from four continents will compete at the Women’s Youth (U18) World Championship in FYR Macedonia from 20 July to 3 August. Already 21 spots have been allocated, whereas the three Pan-American participants are still open. The continental championship will take place from 3 to 14 April.
Those teams have already qualified for the Under 18 Women’s World Championship:
Host: FYR Macedonia
Asia: Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China
Africa: Angola, Tunisia, Congo
Europe: Sweden, Russia, Denmark, Portugal, Montenegro, Romania, Norway, Croatia, Hungary, Germany, France, Netherlands*
* The compulsory place of the continent of Oceania has been reallocated to the Continental Confederation in attendance of a substitute (EHF), since Oceania will not participate.
The matches will be played in the Kale Sports Hall in Skopje (Preliminary Round and President’s Cup), Park Sports Hall in Strumica (Preliminary Round, Eighth-Finals,
Placement Round 9-16, Placement Matches 9-16) and the Biljanini Izvori Sports Hall in Ohrid (two groups of the Preliminary Round, Eighth-Finals, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, Placement Round 5-8, Placement Matches 5-8, Finals).
The Preliminary Round will be played from 20 to 26 July, followed by the President’s Cup (for those teams ranked fifth and sixth in their Preliminary Round groups) on 28/29 July and the knock-out stage, starting with the Eighth-Finals (28/29 July). The placement round for the positions 9-16 (losers of the Eighth-Finals) will be carried out on 30 July/1 August, and the placement round for the positions 5-8 (losers of the Quarter-Finals) on 2/3 August, parallel to Semi-Finals and medal matches.
The date of the draw event and details of the draw procedure will be announced in due time.