In 2016, France celebrated their second straight title at the men’s Under 18 European championship – one year before that same squad raised the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship trophy in Georgia. In 2018, a new generation of France players will step up to the plate, looking to follow in the footsteps of the two strong national teams that went before them and claim the gold medal at what is the first major international tournament for the 2000-born European players.

 

16 teams will vie for the title at the Men’s 18 EHF EURO 2018 in Koprivnica and Varazdin, Croatia from August 9 to 19. The event will follow the usual EURO format of a preliminary round, intermediate or main round, and finals stage. In Zagreb in January, the 16 teams were drawn into four playing groups.

 

From those preliminary groups, the top two sides will progress to the two main round groups, while the bottom teams contest the intermediate round and eventually placement matches. The main round will decide the semi-finalists, with the top two teams in each of the two groups progressing to fight for the medals.

 

Defending champions France will start their campaign in Group B, where they will come up against Denmark, Norway and Romania. Hosts Croatia had the right to choose their preliminary group, and selected Group A, where they will meet Serbia, Portugal and Israel. Group C will be contested between Germany, Spain, Russia and Hungary, while Slovenia, Iceland, Sweden and Poland were drawn into Group D.

 

“Croatia is a long-lasting organiser of top handball events, and they will organise the Men’s 18 EHF EURO in the same perfect way as the Men’s EHF EURO,” said EHF Vice President Predrag Boskovic at the draw event held on the fringe of the Men’s EHF EURO 2018 in January in Zagreb.

 

More information on the Men’s 18 EHF EURO 2018 can be found on the official site of the EHF.