Sweden welcomes future stars

The world’s biggest youth handball tournament, the Partille Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden, is the setting for the first highlight of the European Handball Federation’s summer, as 14 teams compete in the 2012 Women’s 18 European Open.

Taking part are women’s under 18 teams from Russia, Norway, Sweden, Romania, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Lithuania, Iceland, Belgium and Italy from Monday 2 July to Friday 6 July 2012.

43 matches will be played over five days in the Valhalla Sports Complex, Liseberg Hall and finals in the Scandinavium Arena.

The full match schedule can be found here.

Matches will be played 2 x 25 in the qualifying rounds and 2 x 30 in the finals. Drawn matches in the finals may be decided by a ‘shoot-out’ following two periods of extra time.

The shoot-out, similar to the shoot-out in beach handball, involves one player against the goalkeeper, with five players on each team having the chance to shoot one on one against the goalkeeper.

For a complete overview of the event, including player and official lists download the Competition Guide here.

The Partille Cup 

With around 1100 teams from 50 nations the Partille Cup has grown to become the biggest and most important youth festival of handball in world.

The tournament is played entirely in the city of Gothenburg on 30 courts in Heden, close to the Scandinavium arena, a major international sports arena that has hosted World and European Championships as well as the games of the IK Sävehof in the VELUX EHF Champions League and Women’s EHF Champions League. 

Final out more about the Partille Cup via the event’s official website.