EHF Beach Handball EURO 2023 is Portugal bound
The Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation met in Ljubljana on Thursday, and there was big news for beach handball fans around Europe: Portugal will host the Beach Handball EURO 2023.
For the first time in their beach handball history, Portugal will be the host of a Beach Handball EURO. The 13th edition of the event was award to Portugal following the Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation in Ljubljana. The committee met ahead of the Women’s EHF EURO 2022 draw but other key decisions were met regarding the beach handball community.
The EXEC highlighted the experience of the Portuguese federation as organisers as well as the promising beach handball infrastructure at the proposed venue in Nazaré. The town of Nazaré will be no stranger to beach handball having hosted many EBT events and youth European Championships in the past, and is well-equipped to host an event like the Beach Handball EURO.
Both the men and the women of Portugal bowed at the quarter-finals at the Beach Handball EURO 2021 in Varna, Bulgaria. The men lost to the eventual winners Denmark whereas the women came up short to bronze medalists Spain (Germany being the current title holders). The Portuguese national teams of both the men and women are yet to medal at a Beach Handball EURO or World Championship.
Russia, Denmark, Hungary and Germany are joint Beach Handball EURO title holders with two each in the women's category while Croatia are record-title holders with four titles for the men.
The EHF Beach Handball EURO is scheduled from 23 to 28 May 2023; there will be 16 teams in each gender category.
Qualified European teams for next year’s World Championship have already secured a spot. In the women’s tournament Germany, Denmark, Spain, Norway, Portugal, Netherlands and Greece are already assured of a place, while Denmark, Croatia, Spain, Portugal and Greece will be represented in the men’s competition.
For the first time ever, the remaining places will be granted through a qualification tournament; this will take place in Prague on 7-10 July 2022.
Further news on YAC17 & Champions Cup 2022
The EHF YAC17 Beach Handball EURO 2023, scheduled from 29 June to 2 July, has been awarded to Turkey and will take place in Izmir. Furthermore, the EHF Beach Handball Champions Cup 2022 will be played on the Portuguese island of Porto Santo (Madeira) in October. The EXEC awarded the event for this year with the option for a two-year extension of the hosting rights.
