France (FRA)

The EHF EURO 2024 winners are back, and they are on a mission to defend the title. The first trophy in the men’s team history since the Tokyo 2021 Olympics was a nice farewell for Nikola Karabatic and for some of the players who contributed to France’s achievements throughout the years.

Now, things are a little bit different, as both Nikola Karabatic and goalkeeper Vincent Gérard have left the national team and handball altogether. 

But that does not mean that France are without assets when the time for the EHF EURO 2026 arrives, though. Head coach Guillaume Gille has been slowly but surely incorporating new players in the past two years. Centre back Aymeric Minne, left back Thibaud Briet and goalkeeper Charles Bolzinger have taken on more responsibilities since the end of the Olympic Games 18 months ago.

If you add these players — who, for the most part, play in the EHF Champions League with their clubs every season — to the likes of Dika Mem, Nedim Remili or captain Ludovic Fabregas, you end up with a team that most opponents would not want to face.

This new wave of French handball stars led the national team to the bronze medal at the 2025 IHF World Championship. And while the semi-final loss against Croatia in Zagreb may have left a long-standing impression, France actually only lost one half in the entire competition.

Will that be enough for Les Bleus to win the EHF EURO for the fifth time in history? During the EHF EURO Cup, which they won flawlessly, France proved that they are ready for another shot at the title, but some fierce opponents await in the preliminary round.

Competition records:
Number of EHF EURO participations, including 2026: 17
Gold: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2024
Bronze: 2008, 2018