18.01.2020, 01:51
The road to Egypt continues in April

OVERVIEW: For the first time ever, intermediate play-offs will be played as part of the World Championship qualification

The road to Egypt continues in April

While the main focus at the EHF EURO 2020 remains on the upcoming big main round clashes and the race for the semi-finals, this continental championship is going to have an impact also on the European participation at the future top events.

14 European teams in Egypt

In January 2021, Egypt will host the first ever Men’s World Championship with 32 participants. Europe has a total of 13 spots for this tournament, not including the already qualified Danish team, the defending world champions.

Those 13 European spots include up to three straight tickets for the best ranked team of the EHF EURO 2020. The remaining European spots will be decided in two more play-off rounds in April and June.

Qualification in two phases

The first stage of the European qualification is already completed with Turkey, Israel, Lithuania and Romania winning their groups.

Those teams will be joined in the intermediate play-offs by the EHF EURO participants who will not be part of the Olympic Qualification tournaments. These will take place from 17 to 19 April – at the same time, the intermediate play-offs will be staged in home and away matches (15/16 and 18/19 April 2020).

The draw event for the intermediate play-off round will take place in the EHF headquarters at Vienna on 30 January 2020.

Olympic qualification places

Norway, France, Germany, Sweden, Croatia and Spain are currently part of the Olympic Qualification Tournaments due to their ranking at the World Championship 2019. If one of those teams becomes EHF EURO 2022 champions, the composition of those tournaments will change and either Brazil or Egypt will take their place.

Two additional spots at the Olympic Qualification Tournaments are reserved for the two best-ranked teams at the EHF EURO 2020 which have not qualified from the World Championship 2019.

Therefore, either seven or eight European teams will be part of the Olympic Qualification Tournaments. They are directly qualified for the second and last phase of the play-offs for the World Championship 2021, which will be played in home and away matches 5-7 June 2020 and 9-11 June 2020, and for which the aggregate winners of the intermediate play-off also qualify.

The most important dates on the road to Egypt:

26 January: final day of the EHF EURO 2020 – European champion confirmed, direct qualification spots for the World Championship 2021 and the Olympic Qualification Tournaments confirmed

30 January: draw event for the intermediate play-offs in Vienna

15/16 and 18/19 April: intermediate play-offs (home and away matches) for the World Championship 2021

5-7 June and 9-11 June 2020: second and final round of play-offs (home and away matches) for the World Championship 2021

TEXT: Björn Pazen / jh