CONTENT

  • Foreword
    •
  • Europes no.1 indoor sport
    •
  • History of the euro
    •
  • THE EHF EURO IN NUMBERS
    •
  • MEN’S EHF EURO TO DATE
    •
  • Where Next
    •
  • Match Schedules
    •
  • Route to Qualifications
    •
  • Event Concept
    •
  • EHF Brand
    •
  • Sponsors & Partners
    •
  • MEDIA & MARKETING PARTNERS
    •
  • Event Experience
    •
  • Digital Engagement
    •
  • Media & TV
    •
  • Technology
    •
  • Next Steps
    •
  • Download Brochure
    •

    PART OF THE GAME

    BID BROCHURE EHF EURO 2026 & 2028

    The Bids Are In

    Seven nations have submitted their bid to host the Men’s EHF EURO events in 2026 and 2028 as well as Women’s EHF EURO 2026 and 2028. Denmark, Norway and Sweden are bidding together for all four events. Russia entered the bidding process for the Women’s EHF EURO 2026, Switzerland for both Men's EHF EURO events while Spain and Portugal wish to host Men’s EHF EURO 2028.

    See The Bids:

    Men's EHF EURO 2026

    Denmark, Norway and Sweden Switzerland

    Women's EHF EURO 2026

    Russia Denmark, Norway and Sweden

    Men's EHF EURO 2028

    Switzerland Spain and Portugal Denmark, Norway and Sweden

    Women's EHF EURO 2028

    Denmark, Norway and Sweden

    Dear Handball Friends

    Michael Wiederer, EHF President

    As we keep the wheels of daily business turning, facing both triumphs and trials with aplomb, the European Handball Federation continues to reach towards the future. From the moment the men’s and women’s EURO events of 2026 and 2028 are awarded at the Extraordinary EHF Congress in November 2021, the organisers will have between approximately 215 and 365 weeks to bring their best efforts to the forefront and deliver an EHF EURO that exceeds everything that has come before, for they will be standing on the shoulders of giants, the successful organisers of previous championships.

    Over the past 26 years, the European Handball Federation has teamed up 18 Member Federations, six of whom have hosted the men’s and women’s EUROs more than once. These connections created memorable experiences for all involved. The EHF EURO is an event that demands a strong alliance.

    europe's no.1 indoor sport

    115 MILLION
    HANDBALL
    FANS

    HUGE GLOBAL
    TV AUDIENCE

    19 MILLION
    HANDBALL PLAYERS
    FANS

    FAST-PACED
    DYNAMIC
    SPORT

    History of the EHF EURO

    The EHF EURO is the European Handball Federation’s flagship national team event. First played in 1994, the final tournaments for men and women have established themselves over the past two-and-a-half decades as leading events on the international sports market over the past two and a half decades.

    Each event is followed by billions around the globe on TV, across digital platforms and also live in sold-out arenas in each host nation. The competition brings together Europe’s top teams and the world’s best players in a format that is both interesting and enthralling not only to fans and players but also to the media, partners and sponsors.

    1996

    1998

    2000

    2002

    2004

    2006

    2008

    2010

    2012

    2014

    2016

    2018

    2020

    The EHF EURO
    in numbers

    THE FIRST EHF EURO WAS PLAYED IN 1994 AND HOSTED BY PORTUGAL WITH 12 PARTICIPATING FEDERATIONS. SINCE THEN, 17 OTHER NATIONS HAVE FOLLOWED, AND THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS HAS DOUBLED. THE CHAMPIONSHIP HAS TRULY DEVELOPED INTO A LEADING INTERNATIONAL SPORTS EVENT OVER THE PAST TWO AND A HALF DECADES FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.

    Each event is followed by billions around the globe via TV and digital platforms as well as in the sold-out arenas. The EHF EURO brings top teams with the world’s best players together in an exciting and entertaining way, not only for fans but also for media, partners and sponsors.

    Spain won
    the last
    two Men’s
    EHF EUROs

    Norway most
    successful
    on women’s side

    Denmark has
    hosted 5 EHF EUROs
    in total

    27 championships
    since 1994

    THE BIGGEST MEN’S EHF EURO TO DATE

    THE MEN’S EHF EURO 2020 IN SWEDEN, AUSTRIA AND NORWAY WAS THE BIGGEST EHF EURO IN HISTORY. FOR THE FIRST TIME, 24 NATIONS ATTENDED THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THREE DIFFERENT HOST NATIONS.

    ALMOST
    500,000
    SPECTATORS
    IN ARENAS

    125,000
    APP
    DOWNLOADS

    23,6
    MILLION
    VIDEO VIEWS

    1,303 MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
    ON SITE
    SPORT

    A record-breaking number of almost 500,000 fans watched the live action across the six different host venues. More than 71,000 fans visited the nail-biting games in Stockholm’s Tele2 Arena during the fnal weekend, and they saw Spain successfully defend their title. The newly introduced KINEXON data showed a possible reason behind the Spanish success: they ran further than any other team.

    “It’s one of the most important things that our sport will be stronger in a couple of years than it is today. This can be produced by having more national federations being motivated, investing in our sport and their national teams,”

    Wiederer said. “This championship was an excellent starting point.”

    The Men’s EHF EURO 2020 app was downloaded by more than 125,000 dedicated handball fans to follow the latest news, live score updates and eye-opening player tracking statistics. In addition, the EHF EURO social media channels have grown by an impressive 27%.

    All these activities combined resulted in the Men’s EHF EURO 2020 in Sweden, Austria and Norway being the biggest EHF EURO to date in terms of spectators, digital content and engagement across all EHF channels.

    Where Next?

    MEN’S EHF EURO 2022

    HUNGARY & SLOVAKIA

    The championship will take place from 13 to 30 January in the neighbouring countries of Hungary and Slovakia. For the first time, after having already hosted the Women’s EHF EURO twice, in 2004 and 2014, Hungary will host a men’s EHF EURO. The Men’s EHF EURO 2022 will be the first time that Slovakia has hosted an EHF EURO event.

    With Bratislava hosting two groups during the preliminary round and the one of the main round groups and Budapest hosting the final weekend in a brand-new arena, both capital cities will be put to good use. Furthermore, the Slovakian city of Kosice and the Hungarian cities Debrecen and Szeged will serve as host venues.

    The slogan#WatchGamesSeeMore applies to the additional activities arranged for fans to attend. A festival feeling will be created with concerts, famous spas and fan zones adding to the 65 promising handball matches.

    Where Next?

    WOMEN’S EHF EURO 2022

    SLOVENIA, NORTH MACEDONIA & MONTENEGRO

    For the first time in history, three countries will combine their efforts to host a Women’s EHF EURO event. Three Balkan countries – Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro – will aim to host the biggest women’s handball event in history. All three capital cities – Ljubljana, Skopje and Podgorica – will host top-class matches. In addition, the Slovenian city Celje will also serve as a host city during the Women’s EHF EURO 2022.

    The ‘We Can Handball’ campaign will contribute to the success of the event and enhance the brand of handball in its entirety. North Macedonia and Slovenia already have their experience of hosting an EHF EURO event, and Montenegro is now to follow in their footsteps.

    Where Next?

    MEN’S EHF EURO 2024

    GERMANY

    The handball-loving nation will host the 16th edition of the Men’s EHF EURO. They hosted the very first Women’s EHF EURO in 1994, however it will be their first time hosting a Men’s EHF EURO.

    The Men’s EHF EURO 2024 will be played from 12 to 28 January. Germany is one of the few countries in Europe with enough arena capacity to host an EHF EURO by itself. Major cities will be included to host fans from all around the world. The final weekend will take place in Cologne, which is well-known amongst fans as the capital of spectacular handball events. Furthermore, the championship will take place in Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Kiel, Mannheim and Cologne (tbd).

    Where Next?

    WOMEN’S EHF EURO 2024

    HUNGARY, SWITZERLAND AND AUSTRIA

    The preliminary round will be played in all three nations with Innsbruck representing Austria, Switzerland have Basel as a host city, and Debrecen and Budapest are the Hungarian host cities. The latter two will also host the main round. For the final weekend, the Hungarians continue to take the lead and will be held in Budapest, where they will pursue to top the final weekend of the Men’s EHF EURO 2022.

    MATCH SCHEDULES 2022 & 2024

    ROUTE TO QUALIFICATION

    EVENT CONCEPT EHF EURO 2026/28

    THE EHF EURO EVENTS WILL UNDERGO STRIKING DEVELOPMENT IN THE UPCOMING YEARS.

    With the increase in participating nations, the events will reach new markets and provide more nations with the opportunity to perform on the highest European platform. The development will continue during the EHF EUROs in 2026 and 2028.

    The format of the men’s and women’s events will be the same, as we will see in 2024. 17 days will be packed with 65 thrilling games between 24 participating teams. The preliminary round will consist of six groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each preliminary group will progress to the main round, which is divided into two groups of six. The top two teams in each main round group will play the semi-finals on the final weekend, which will culminate with the bronze- and gold-medal matches.

    The event has already established itself in the mind of sports fans. TV audience figures have passed the billion mark and followers across social and digital channels continue to rise. With this level of interest, the organisers have the ability to embrace sustainability and increase focus on the green side of the championship.

    MEN’S EHF EURO 2026
    15 JANUARY – 1 FEBRUARY

    WOMEN’S EHF EURO 2026
    3 – 20 DECEMBER

    MEN’S EHF EURO 2028
    13 – 30 JANUARY

    WOMEN’S EHF EURO 2028
    30 NOVEMBER – 17 DECEMBER

    EHF EURO BRAND

    THE MEN’S EHF EURO 2020 SAW THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW LOGO SYSTEM FOR THE EHF EURO EVENTS TO ENSURE A COMMON BRAND IDENTITY ACROSS ALL FUTURE EDITIONS OF THE EHF’S TOP NATIONAL TEAM COMPETITION.

    Each organiser has the freedom to create their own logo, within the framework of the design system.

    The Men’s EHF EURO 2022 logo incorporates the colours of the two host nations, Hungary and Slovakia. In combination with the EHF logo and its offcial font, the logo cleverly reflects the slogan of the championship, ‘Watch Games See More’, by incorporating an eye in the centre, yet remaining within the EHF EURO brand guidelines.

    Flexibility is also allowed within the system. A composite logo has been developed which ensures that offcial sponsors, host cities and national suppliers can implement their brand alongside the offcial event logo.

    SPONSORS & PARTNERS

    THE EHF EURO PROVIDES PARTNERS AND SPONSORS WITH AN UNRIVALLED PAN-EUROPEAN PLATFORM THROUGH WHICH TO PROMOTE AND ACTIVATE THEIR BRANDS AND PRODUCTS TO AN AUDIENCE OF BILLIONS ON TV AS WELL AS THROUGH DIGITAL CHANNELS AND ON-SITE.

    The package of benefts available to the event’s offcial sponsors includes: strong brand positioning in camera view around the court through advertising sequences on LED boards, floor stickers and interview backdrops as well as full activation rights, corporate hospitality opportunities and tickets. From the EHF EURO 2018 in Croatia, sponsors are able to make use of a 40 metres of LED advertising on the long side and LED static boards behind the goals providing much improved visibility for brands and their advertising

    In addition to presence in the arenas, sponsors can also beneft from many additional branding and activation opportunities. Through branded content or campaigns on digital channels, it is possible to engage with millions of fans through the EHF EURO events’ offcial digital channels. On-site too, opportunities can be provided for activation at special locations in the host cities, including fan areas in the city centres or arenas.

    MEDIA & MARKETING PARTNERS

    THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED START OF THE EUROPEAN HANDBALL FEDERATION AND EHF MARKETING’S 10-YEAR MEDIA AND MARKETING PARTNERSHIP WITH INFRONT AND DAZN IS NOW IN FULL SWING FOLLOWING THE LAUNCH IN JULY 2020.

    To mark the beginning of the partnership, a 360-degree digital strategy was unveiled to propel handball into a new era: At the heart of it, a new digital eco-system to help amplify the reach and awareness of handball.

    As part of the new partnership, a new website, Home of Handball, was launched, together with a revamped EHFTV that includes an optimised state-of-the-art video player.

    High-quality content for all platforms will be created by Infront and DAZN’s newly assembled dedicated digital production experts based in Madrid, who will ultimately be working on more than 5,000 pieces of video content for all major EHF competitions.

    The digital strategy will create and curate content for fans, broadcasters, clubs and national teams to help grow and engage audiences beyond the 60 minutes of the game and lay the foundation for the long-term growth of handball.

    EVENT EXPERIENCE

    THE EHF EURO EVENTS HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE THAN JUST 24 TEAMS COMPETING FOR ONE TITLE. EVEN THOUGH IT WILL REMAIN THE CORE OF THE EVENT, IT HAS BECOME A SPORT ITSELF TO ATTRACT SPECTATORS FAR BEYOND HANDBALL FANS.

    The competitive sports market provides organisers with the opportunity to be creative on the entertainment aspects.

    Partners and sponsors are additionally interested in visibility, either through TV, LED advertising systems or via on-site activations. They want to create interaction with the fans and customers and engage with them through promotional stands, corporate hospitality or through social and digital campaigns.

    The additional event experiences are a great way of attracting fans and ensure that they come back for more. This is a major consideration for organisers and includes entertainment, VIP and corporate hospitality opportunities, fan zones and promotional areas as well as entertainment, music and show elements around the matches.

    DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

    THE ENGAGEMENT OF EUROPE’S PASSIONATE HANDBALL FANS THROUGH THE SPORT AND WAY BEYOND THE 60 MINUTES OF THE GAME IS AT THE CORE OF THE DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR EVERY EHF EURO.

    To mark the official start of the 10-year exclusive media and marketing partnership with Infront and DAZN Group, a new digital ecosystem to amplify the reach and awareness of handball and to lay the foundation for the long-term growth of the sport was launched on 1 July 2020.

    Digitally-optimised, high-quality content for all platforms, including those of the EHF EURO organisers the participating teams as well as sponsors and partners, will be created by a team of dedicated digital production experts working on eventually more than 5,000 pieces of video content per season for all major EHF competitions.

    The lists of assets to be delivered for an EHF EURO also includes digital campaigns as well as a player and influencer programme.

    Furthermore, the EHF is proud of being a driving force of digital innovation in handball. Looking back at the most recent Men’s EHF EURO 2020, the EHF’s own digital and social strategy, with the assistance of technology, such as automated videos and graphics, helped deliver match data and customised content. This resulted in almost two million fan engagements, a growth by 90 per cent, across all EHF’s social channels.

    MEDIA & TV

    THE EHF PRIDES ITSELF ON ITS POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SPORT’S MEDIA AND SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE BEST WORKING CONDITIONS TO ENSURE BOTH POSITIVE AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE EHF EURO EVENTS WORLDWIDE.

    This is particularly important at the EHF EURO events, where more than 1,000 media representatives can be on-site, and a close cooperation is essential between the EHF’s own media team, the organising committee and media partners.

    A professional media management concept is the key to providing the infrastructure, services and access that the media require at major international events. The EHF’s operations are managed by an experienced media manager, with the support of media supervisors in each venue. They work closely with the organiser’s own media management staff and volunteers in each of the venues and also the staff of the EHF’s media partner.

    The extensive media services provided by the EHF complement

    those provided by the EHF’s own media partner to ensure that all media, whether they be written journalists, photographers, TV or radio, have the support they require during the event. This includes the provision of extensive event information and statistics, a flash-quotes service as well as numerous media events to ensure that the story of each event can be told through direct contact with players and coaches of the court.

    For TV partners, a complete range of host broadcaster and production services are offered to ensure that the best quality pictures are beamed into the homes of viewers around the world. With a large number of broadcast agreements for each event, the best quality production quality is guaranteed and always developing from event to event.

    TECHNOLOGY

    THE EHF HAS BEEN LEADING THE DEVELOPMENT AND USAGE OF TECHNOLOGY IN HANDBALL TO SUPPORT OFFICIALS TO LIFT THE GAME TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL.

    PLAYER TRACKING

    During the Men’s EHF EURO 2020 in Sweden, Austria and Norway, player tracking was used throughout each game. All participating teams received their own data directly after each match for coaches and players to analyse their statistics. In addition, fans at home and in the arenas could follow the individual players and teams on a new level. Who jumps the highest? Who shoots the fastest? Which team runs the most? All the answers were available in the official EHF EURO App.

    GAME ADMINISTRATION

    In addition to the timeout buzzer, which was introduced in 2018, more technological implementations will continue to be used during the upcoming EHF EURO events. Goal-light technology will ensure that players, officials and fans have a visual sign each time a buzzer sounds in the arena. Cameras will be installed in the goals for goal-line technology, to allow for a clear picture as to whether the ball has completely crossed the line. In case of uncertainty, referees can use the instant replay technology to ensure that the right decision is taken for disqualification of a player, substitution uncertainties, goal-line doubts and the faulty use of the buzzer. EHF EURO App.

    NEXT STEPS

    COMPLETING YOUR BID

    For a bid to be successful, not only is a world-class event and organisational concept required but also a professional presentation. The EHF EURO is Europe’s flagship national team event, and this must be reflected in the bidding materials. Each bid submission shall include the following elements:

    BID BOOK

    Applications should be presented with detailed information in the form of a bid book. This should contain all of the main features of the bid: vision, event concept, national regional and local support for the bid as well as details of the host cities and venues.

    DEADLINE: 1 MAY 2021

    ONLINE PRESENTATION

    To assist the promotion of each bid, all submissions will have a one-page section on the official bidding website. This should contain a summary of the main elements of the bid and can include: text, photographs, and a promotional video. Each bid can also provide an additional link to its own bidding website.

    DEADLINE: 1 MAY 2021

    BIDDING TIMELINE

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