19.01.2015, 12:00
EHF EURO 2016 draw the ‘deepest’ in history

NEWS REPORT: The Polish Handball Federation has selected a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the moment when the four final tournament groups will be drawn on 19 June 2015: the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow

EHF EURO 2016 draw the ‘deepest’ in history

The Men’s EHF EURO 2016 in Poland sets records even before the event has started.

With almost exactly one year to go until the first games throw off on 15 January 2016, it has been confirmed that the final tournament draw on 19 June 2015 will take place in the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow.

The salt mine, one of the world’s oldest as the first shafts were already built in the 13^th century and commercial mining continued until the end of the 20^th century, reaches a depth of more than 300 metres.

The draw itself will take part 136 metres below sea level which makes it without doubt the ‘deepest’ in EHF EURO history.

It is also the first time that a final tournament draw takes place in a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the mine was included to this list in 1978.

However, despite the special setting, procedures remain as known for the 16-nation EHF EURO 2016 which takes place from 15 to 31 January next year.

Poland as organiser are directly qualified and will be seeded in Pot 2.

The remaining teams in Pots 1 and 2 will be the seven first ranked teams from the seven qualification groups.

Pots 3 and 4 consist of the seven teams ranked second in the qualification groups and the best third ranked team of all groups.

Poland will play their preliminary round matches in the 15,000-capacity Krakow Arena. They can also assign one nation each to Group B in Katowice, Group C in Wroclaw and Group D in Gdansk.

(*symbolic positioning which will be adapted according to the nations agreed upon (depending on the pot the respective nations are assigned to))

Following the preliminary round, the main round will be played in Wroclaw and Krakow. These two are also the venues for the placement matches (Wroclaw) as well as for the semi-finals and the final weekend which take place in Krakow.

For a full overview also download the draw procedure.

TEXT: EHF / ts