European Handball Championship: What Ukraine Needs for Qualification to the Tournament.

The men's national handball team of Ukraine is finishing the qualification cycle for the European Championship 2026. On May 8 and 11, the Ukrainian handball players will play their final qualifying matches for Euro 2026. This is reported by 'Glavkom' referencing 'Suspilne Sport'.

In the qualification for Euro 2026, the Ukrainian handball team has played four matches: they achieved two victories and lost two encounters. In the final two rounds, the Ukrainians will face the Netherlands and the Faroe Islands, where they will fight for entry into the final.

What is the situation for the Ukrainian national team?

1. Faroe Islands - 5 points (4 matches), +9 (goal difference)
2. Ukraine - 4 points (4), +12
3. Netherlands - 4 points (4), 0
4. Kosovo - 3 points (4), -21

The two best teams in the group and the four best third-placed teams qualify for the European Championship.

What does Ukraine need to qualify for the European Championship?

A victory against the Netherlands or the Faroe Islands guarantees Ukraine entry into the finals - anything lower than third place is not achievable for the 'yellow-blues.'

Ukraine can also qualify for Euro if they lose both games against the Netherlands and the Faroe Islands. In this case, the 'yellow-blues' could theoretically qualify from third place - for this to happen, Kosovo would need to score no more than one point, and opponents in other groups must not gain any points.

The Ukrainian national team is preparing for the qualifying matches for Euro 2026 in handball.

Goalkeepers: Genadiy Komok ('Buzau', Romania), Oleksiy Novikov ('Amber', Lithuania)

Left wingers: Dmytro Artemenko ('Zabrze', Poland), Yaroslav Kotyuk ('Motor')

Left backs: Taras Minotskyi ('Zabrze', Poland), Ihor Turchenko ('Limoges', France)

Playmakers: Zakhar Denisov ('Motor'), Danylo Savchuk ('SKA-SHVSM'), Oleksandr Tilte ('Besiktas', Turkey)

Right wingers: Georgiy Blagodir ('Coburg', Germany), Dmytro Redkin ('Grosswalstadt', Germany)

Right backs: Ilya Blyznyuk ('Karvina', Czech Republic), Maxim Pavlovskiy ('Coburg', Germany)

Centers: Ivan Burzak ('Minaur Baia Mare', Romania), Oleksandr Onufrienko ('Celje', Slovenia), Maxim Strelnikov ('Chrobry Glogow', Poland)

Let us remember that the women's national team of Ukraine has won a minimal victory against the Czech Republic but could not qualify for the handball world championship.

The Ukrainian handball team aims to qualify for the European Championship 2026 after several matches in the qualification cycle. Of the four matches played, Ukraine has achieved two victories and intends to achieve a better result than in the last 16 years. In the first two qualifying matches, Ukraine will compete against the Netherlands and the Faroe Islands and fight for qualification for the finals. A victory in either of these matches will allow the national team to reach Euro 2026; otherwise, there will be a chance to qualify from third place.