EURO Qualifiers for Women: Venues Confirmed
Linz will celebrate a premiere in the upcoming spring. For the first time in history, the capital city of Upper Austria will be a venue for a competitive match of the women's national team. To conclude the qualification for the Women’s EHF EURO 2026, Greece will visit the steel city on April 12, 2026, at 6:00 PM. In March, there will be a double-header against group favorites Spain. The home game will take place on March 4, 2026, at 6:00 PM, in the new Sport Arena Vienna. Tickets for both games are now available via the ÖHB ticket shop and Wien-Ticket.
Linz is not only hosting a qualifying match for the women for the first time, but it is also a return after over 34 years. The last visit to the capital city was on December 6, 1991, when they achieved a 25:22 victory against the then-Czechoslovakia. At that time, none of the current team players were alive.
For Ines Ivancok-Soltic & Co., the final game in the EURO qualification against Greece in Linz is a true premiere. The steel city has repeatedly proven to be a good ground for our national teams in men's competitions. The women aim to build on that success, make an impact, and secure a ticket for their first European Championship with five hosts.
The final match in the qualification against Greece will take place on April 18. In the fall, they prevailed in their very first encounter with the Greek team in history, winning 29:22. With their fans backing them, they hope to confirm their role as favorites once again.
Spain to be hosted in Vienna
Before heading to Linz, the double-header against Spain is scheduled for March 2026. The Spaniards, who have been in two EURO finals, are still waiting for their first major title in women's handball. So far, they have two silver medals in European Championships (2008, 2014), one silver in World Championships (2019), and one bronze in the Olympic Games (2012).
The Spaniards are always considered among the medal contenders and are clear favorites in the EURO qualification group. However, recent results offer hope for a sensation. In the playoff for the 2023 World Cup, Spain was held to a 28:28 draw in the southern city and only lost 24:26 away.
The new Sport Arena Vienna, with a capacity for 3,000 fans, may be the final piece of the puzzle to secure the first win over Spain since 1992. By the way, none of the current team players were born at that time either.
The Women’s EHF EURO 2026 will be the first handball European Championship with five hosts. Together with the medal winners of the EHF EURO 2024, Norway, Denmark, and Hungary, the five hosts Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Turkey are automatically qualified for the final round from December 3 to 20, 2026. These eight nations will play the EHF EURO Cup in parallel with the qualification. A new format has been established for this with two groups of four teams and a final tournament.
For the other 24 nations in the qualification, it will be a simple home-and-away round in their respective groups for the ticket to EHF EURO 2026, which will be awarded to the top 2 from each group as well as the four best third-placed teams.
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