Records, favorites, TV: How the European Championship is going in Germany

European Handball Championship - Records, favorites, TV: How the European Championship is going in Germany

The European Men's Handball Championship is being held in Germany for the first time. From January 10 to 28, 24 teams will play 65 games for the European crown.

Two highlights already await the DHB selection in the preliminary round: Firstly, the opening match in front of a record crowd, and then the hammer duel with the record world champions. The favorites have been decided, the German squad is set: this is how the home European Championship is going.

Where will the European Championship matches take place?

With Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne, Mannheim and Munich, there are six venues in Germany. The DHB team - like record world champions France in Group A - will play its preliminary round matches in Düsseldorf and Berlin. Group B and E with Spain and Sweden will play in Mannheim. Group C and F with top favorite Denmark will play in Munich. Norway will play in Group D in the capital for a place in the main round. If Germany qualify for the second phase of the tournament, they will continue in Cologne. The other main round matches are scheduled for Hamburg. The final round will also take place in Cologne.

Who will Germany face in the preliminary round?

The team of national coach Alfred Gislason has got a tricky but solvable group. The most important game in the battle for the main round is the opening duel with Switzerland on January 10. The match will take place in the Düsseldorf soccer arena in front of a world record crowd of more than 50,000 fans. "We have to get off to a good start in the tournament and then improve from game to game," said Gislason.

A must-win game against North Macedonia awaits in Berlin on January 14, before the handball clash with France two days later. The top two teams in each of the six groups of four qualify for the main round.

Who is in the DHB squad?

The national coach is tackling the medal mission with four 2016 European champions, four U21 world champions and one newcomer. "We've got a really strong team together that has very high quality and just as much self-confidence," said DHB Sports Director Axel Kromer.

The experienced players include goalkeeper Andreas Wolff (32), wingers Patrick Groetzki (34) and Rune Dahmke (30) as well as backcourt players Kai Häfner (34) and Christoph Steinert (33). Goalkeeper David Späth (21), backcourt players Renars Uscins (21) and Nils Lichtlein (21) as well as circle player Justus Fischer (20) all made the squad from the U21 team that won the World Championship title in the summer. Martin Hanne (22) is making his debut in the national team.

Where can you watch the games?

The European Handball Championship can only be watched in full on Dyn. The fee-based internet channel is showing all 65 games of the tournament, at least 31 of which are exclusive. The games of the German national handball team will be shown at no extra cost on the first and second channels, which secured the rights for the home European Championships several years ago. ARD and ZDF will also be showing other matches not involving the DHB team.

Who are the favorites?

World champions Denmark are the top favorites to win the European Championship title. Players such as the Füchse professionals Hans Lindberg, Mathias Gidsel and Lasse Andersson or Michael Damgaard from Magdeburg are well known to the DHB team from the Bundesliga. Defending champions Sweden, European Championship runners-up Spain and, above all, World Championship runners-up France are also to be reckoned with. The DHB team is aiming to reach the semi-finals and is hoping for an effect similar to that of the 2007 World Championship at home, when the crowd carried them to the World Championship title.

Has Germany already qualified for the Olympics?

No. The DHB team is still fighting for its ticket to the 2024 Summer Games in France. As European champions, the German team would qualify directly for the Olympics. If they fail to win the title, the team is already guaranteed to take part in one of the three Olympic qualifying tournaments in the spring thanks to their fifth place at last year's World Championships. Hosts France, world champions Denmark, Japan and Argentina can already make firm plans for the highlight on the Seine.