2012 Women’s World Championship U20 – Qualification Europe

Following the qualification draw which took place at the EHF 20th Anniversary event in Vienna, Austria on 18 November 2011, this weekend (Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 April) will see 24 teams compete to qualify for the 2012 Women’s World Championship U20 Final Tournament taking place in the Czech Republic between Sunday 1 and Sunday 15 July 2012.

A total of 27 teams have entered the tournament (including the three directly-qualified teams) and the qualification is divided into six groups of four teams.

11 teams from Europe will qualify for the final tournament and will consist of the top two teams from Groups 1-4 and the top team from Groups 5 and 6. Europe has received an extra position due to no representation from Oceania so the 11th team will be decided in the substitute place order as follows:

Substitute Place 1) Second place in Group 5
Substitute Place 2) Second place in Group 6 (if 1 declines)
Substitute Place 3) Third place in Group 1 (if 1 and 2 declines)

Three nations are already directly qualified: hosts Czech Republic, Denmark and Netherlands – winners and runners-up of the EHF Women’s 19 European Championship 2011 respectively.

The 2012 Women’s World Championship U20 – Qualification Europe matches will be played in the form of tournaments at one venue.

GROUP 1  
Austria
France
Switzerland
Montenegro

Venue: Lomme – France

06.04.2012 17:30  Austria vs. Switzerland
06.04.2012 19:30  France vs. Montenegro
07.04.2012 16:00  Montenegro vs. Austria
07.04.2012 18:00  Switzerland vs. France
08.04.2012 14:00  Switzerland vs. Montenegro
08.04.2012 16:00  Austria vs. France 

GROUP 2  
Serbia
Croatia
Ukraine
Bulgaria

Venue: Pozega – Serbia

06.04.2012 17:00  Serbia vs. Ukraine
06.04.2012 19:15  Croatia vs. Bulgaria
07.04.2012 16:00  Ukraine vs. Croatia
07.04.2012 18:00  Bulgaria vs. Serbia
08.04.2012 10:30  Ukraine vs. Bulgaria
08.04.2012 12:30  Serbia vs. Croatia 

GROUP 3
Sweden
Norway
Slovenia
Slovakia

Venue: Helsingborg – Sweden

06.04.2012 16:30  Norway vs. Slovakia
06.04.2012 19:00  Sweden vs. Slovenia
07.04.2012 14:30  Slovakia vs. Sweden
07.04.2012 17:00  Slovenia vs. Norway
08.04.2012 11:30  Slovenia vs. Slovakia
08.04.2012 14:00  Sweden vs. Norway

GROUP 4  
Romania
Russia
Turkey
Iceland

Venue: Antalya – Turkey

06.04.2012 17:00  Russia vs. Iceland
06.04.2012 19:00  Romania vs. Turkey
07.04.2012 17:00  Iceland vs. Romania
07.04.2012 19:00  Turkey vs. Russia
08.04.2012 17:00  Romania vs. Russia
08.04.2012 19:00  Turkey vs. Iceland 

GROUP 5  
Spain
Portugal
Hungary
Israel

Venue: Györ – Hungary

06.04.2012 16:00  Portugal vs. Israel
06.04.2012 18:00  Spain vs. Hungary
07.04.2012 14:00  Israel vs. Spain
07.04.2012 16:00  Hungary vs. Portugal
08.04.2012 10:00  Spain vs. Portugal
08.04.2012 12:00  Hungary vs. Israel

GROUP 6  
Germany
Poland
Great Britain
Italy

Venue: Pruszkow – Poland
All games will be streamed live and free of charge on http://imprezylive.pl/online_pruszkow.php

05.04.2012 16:00  Germany vs. Great Britain
05.04.2012 18:30  Poland vs. Italy
06.04.2012 14:30  Italy vs. Germany
06.04.2012 16:30  Great Britain vs. Poland
07.04.2012 10:00  Great Britain vs. Italy
07.04.2012 12:00  Germany vs. Poland

For more information please visit the International Handball Federation site HERE.