Ukraine has a chance to take revenge for past defeats. Will they have the strength to overcome the leaders of the rankings?
The European Handball Federation has determined the composition of the qualifying groups for the Euro 2028. The Ukrainian national team will compete for a spot in the final tournament against representatives from Iceland, Serbia, and Estonia.
RBC-Ukraine reports this, citing the official website of the federation.
Also read: The worst match in history: Ukraine started the Euro-2026 in handball with an anti-record
The path of the “blue and yellow” to the continental championship
According to the results of the official draw ceremony, 32 national teams have been divided into eight groups. The Ukrainian team has been placed in Group 3.
To advance to the main draw of the competition, the team must finish in first or second place in the group.
Additionally, the four best teams that finish in third place will also have a chance to advance.
The complete composition of the qualifying groups:
- Group 1: Croatia, Netherlands, Lithuania, Finland
- Group 2: Norway, Austria, Georgia, Turkey
- Group 3: Iceland, Serbia, Ukraine, Estonia
- Group 4: Hungary, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, Kosovo
- Group 5: Slovenia, Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel
- Group 6: France, Poland, Romania, Latvia
- Group 7: Germany, Italy, Belgium, Slovakia
- Group 8: Sweden, North Macedonia, Greece, Luxembourg
Who will stand against the Ukrainians: an analysis of the opponents
The most serious challenge for our team will be the Icelandic national team.
The islanders are regular participants in top tournaments: they have made 14 appearances at the Euro, including a bronze medal in 2010 and a fourth place finish at the recent 2026 championship.
Serbia also belongs to the elite of European handball, having participated in all of the last nine championships.
The highest achievement for the Serbs is the silver medals from the home Euro-2012. In the previous tournament, the team finished in 19th place.
Estonia is considered the underdog of the group.
This team has never reached the final stages of major international tournaments, so participating in the qualifiers will be another attempt for them to debut at a high level.
Historical context and regulations
Ukraine has solid experience in the Euro, having participated in eight editions.
The record remains 2002, when the national team finished in 11th place.
In the current Euro, the “blue and yellow” finished their participation in 24th place.
The first matches of the qualifying cycle are scheduled for November 4-5, 2026. The final list of tournament participants will be known in May 2027.
Recall that the hosts of Euro-2028 will be Switzerland (Zurich), Portugal (Lisbon), and Spain (Madrid and Valencia).
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