The European Handball Federation is delighted to reveal that beach handball will make its debut at the European Olympic Games in Poland in 2023.

Following a successful round of negotiations for beach handball’s inclusion in the Games, EHF President Michael Wiederer and EOC Acting President Niels Nygaard signed the deal at the EHF Executive Committee meeting over the weekend.

It means beach handball will line-up as a discipline at the European Olympic Games in Kraków-Małopolska, which will run between 21 June and 2 July 2023.

“We are delighted to see beach handball’s inclusion in the European Games confirmed for 2023, said EHF President Michael Wiederer.

“This is a big step not only for beach handball to be part of the Olympic family at senior level, but also for the continued development of the sport.”

“In light of the great success IHF had with beach handball at the Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires two years ago, we are continuing with our dream of making beach handball an Olympic sport.”

EOC Acting President Niels Nygaard stressed that with more sports now added to the programme, the EOC is really putting together a varied and innovative offering for the best athletes in Europe during the summer of 2023.

He said: “With more sports set to be officially confirmed in the coming weeks, we are all very happy that the Coordination Commission has been able to work so diligently at the end of a difficult year for sport globally.”

The EHF has cooperated with the EOC also in the project of the European Youth Olympic Festival, where handball is already a stable part of the programme since 1997.