In three years, in 2029, France will co-organize the World Handball Championship. After the Los Angeles Games, this will be one of the major events of the years to come for the Tricolores.
In the meantime, the Blues have a standing to preserve. And it starts on January 15 with the 17th edition of the European Championship which is taking place in three countries: Norway, Sweden and Denmark, where the final phase will be played.
A formula with 24 teams at the start
Twenty-four teams set out to conquer the Grail. The matches take place in three countries and four cities: Herning in Denmark which will host the semi-finals and the final, Kristianstad, Malmö in Sweden, and Oslo in Norway, where the Blues will play their first round. For this, the teams are divided into 6 groups of 4 selections. Those ranked in the first two places will advance to the main round which is played in two groups. The top two qualify for the semi-finals.
Denmark big favorite
Olympic champion in 2024, world champion in 2025 for the fourth time in a row, Denmark is aiming for the grand slam by seeking the only title it is missing at the moment. Knowing that he has not won the Euro since 2012.
The reference at world level is therefore the favorite of the tournament, especially since it will end on its land. Preventing him from triumphing will be quite a feat. Among those who could create a surprise, we can cite Croatia, vice-European champion, Sweden, Germany, and Portugal which is emancipating itself. Without forgetting France, obviously.
For France, a title to keep but…
Stripped of its Olympic and world titles for both men and women, handball France has only one thing left to try to keep: the European title won two years ago. Remember the free kick from elsewhere by Elohim Prandi at the last second in the semi-final against Sweden. After third place at the World Cup a year ago, it is not possible to expect anything other than a place in the last four for the Blues of Guillaume Gille and Dika Mem. Not passing the main round would be a failure, even without Nedim Remili forfeiting.
The first round against the Czech Republic (January 16, 6 p.m.), Ukraine (January 17, 6 p.m.) is affordable. The big test will be against Norway (January 19, 8:30 p.m.) at home. Winning this duel will be imperative to consider the main round with full points. A setback would quickly undermine ambitions.
A completely “crazy” main draw
The rest will be much more difficult. In the main round, France will face heavyweights: Denmark, Germany, probably Portugal, Spain… Only two teams will come out of this group of death. “This painting is crazy, very complicated. But it will make this story beautiful if it ends well,” anticipates Nedim Remili as an observer. “A Euro is always a very difficult competition but I wonder if this one is not the densest of all,” continues coach Guillaume Gille.
There will be damage. We might think that Denmark is more sheltered. For France, failure is forbidden and the place in the half will be partly decided against Germany, executioner of the Blues in the quarter-final of the Olympic Games in Lille. This main round will be played between January 22 and 28 in Herning which will host the semi-finals on January 30, the final on February 1. It is here that France won the Euro in 2014.
The Blues arrive on France Télévisions
As since 2012, BeIN SPORTS remains the main broadcaster of the Euro. All the matches of the tournament can be watched exclusively and in full on the channel with a luxury consultant, Nikola Karabatic. The novelty of the TV device lies elsewhere. After the TF 1 group, France Télévisions took over the broadcasting rights for Les Bleus matches. At the start of the main round, on January 22, the French team’s matches will be visible unencrypted and live on public service channels. This will also broadcast the Bleues matches during the Women’s Euro at the end of the year.
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