Road to Women's 19 EHF EURO 2015 started in Dublin

The EHF Congress in the Irish capital of Dublin hosted a second qualification draw for a younger age category Women's European Championship on Friday as the qualification tournaments for next year's Women's 19 EHF EURO in Spain were decided.

32 teams had registered for the event and with organisers Spain as well Sweden and Russia, the gold and silver medallists at the Women's 17 EHF EURO 2013, already qualified, it means that 29 teams enter the qualification.

These 29 nations were drawn to five groups of four teams each and three groups of three teams each. The first two teams from each group with four nations qualify, while only the top-ranked team from each of three groups with three nations qualifies.

The first right to organise was drawn to FYR Macedonia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Belarus, Greece, Bulgaria, Switzerland and Finland.

According to decisions by the Court of Handball Netherlands, Portugal and Ukraine do not have the right to organise a qualification tournament.

Furthermore the teams which were awarded with the right to organise qualification tournaments for the Women's 17 EHF EURO 2013, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovakia, do not have the right to be an organiser again in the Women's 19 EHF EURO 2015 Qualification unless none of the other teams in the respective group is willing to organise the tournament.

The participation of Kosovo is subject to the congress decision of granting full membership to the Handball Association of Kosovo.

The qualification tournaments are played from 17 to 19 April 2015. The Women's 19 EHF EURO next year takes place from 23  July to 2 August 2015.