EHF Euro 2022: Preview, schedule, and how to watch stars Karabatic and Hansen

The top male handball players in Europe are set for the EHF Euro 2022 continental showpiece in dual host countries Hungary and Slovakia.

More than 700 handballers will line up for 24 national teams in 65 pulsing matches for one trophy, meaning fireworks for fans everywhere.

Olympic champions France, led by the unstoppable Nikola Karabatic, and Tokyo 2020 silver medallists Denmark headlined by Mikkel Hansen and Olympic MVP Mathias Gidsel are many experts' favourites for the European crown.

But Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists and double reigning European champs Spain from 2018 and 2020 might have something to say about that, and with Germany, Norway, 2021 World championship runners-up Sweden, and Euro 2020 runners-up Croatia in the mix, it's all to play for.

Hungry young talented sides on the rise like Portugal, Netherlands, and hosts Hungary will look to make a mark, and there will be plenty to savour for handball's growing cohort around the world.

Read on for a preview, the stars to watch, schedule, when and where it's all happening, tickets, and all the top stories.

When is the European Handball Men's Championships EHF 2022?

EHF 2022 runs from Thursday 13 to Sunday 30 January.

Where is EHF 2022 being played?

The men's Euros are hosted by Hungary and Slovakia in five venues across five cities - three in Hungary and two in Slovakia.

Venues

Hungary

Budapest: New Budapest Arena

Debrecen: Fonix Arena

Szeged: Pick Arena

Slovakia

Bratislava: Ondrej Nepela Arena

Kosice: Steel Arena

EHF Euro 2022: Groups and format

The 24 teams were drawn into six groups of four sides with the top two teams going through to the main round.

• Group A: Slovenia, Denmark, North Macedonia, Montenegro
• Group B: Portugal, Hungary, Iceland, Netherlands
• Group C: Croatia, Serbia, France, Ukraine
• Group D: Germany, Austria, Belarus, Poland
• Group E: Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Group F: Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Lithuania

EHF Euro 2022: Star Players to watch

The heavies are here and we'll see the usual suspects like Karabatic, Hansen, Gidsel, Niklas Landin, Sander Sagosen, Mads Mensah Larsen, and Croatia's Domogoj Duvnjak set out to dominate, but there's world-class talent on view everywhere you look.

Sweden will call on Egypt 2021 star performers to step up again after a disappointing Olympics where they finished fifth, but if world champs All-Star 'keeper Andreas Palicka, top-scorer Hampus Wanne, soul of the side Jim Gottfridsson, and young gun Lucas Pellas can put a run together, Sweden could do some real damage.

Reigning champions Spain have stuck with many of their tried and tested stars and though Raul Entrerrios bowed out at Tokyo 2020. Look out for Olympic All Star Aleix Gomez, the goalkeeping duo of Gonzalo de Perez Vargas and Rodrigo Corrales, and Jorge Maqueda who's always fun to watch.

Portugal should bring a pulsating, attacking style, and Andre Gomes is worth watching on his own.

The favourites for many, France may be missing their joint Olympic top-scorer Nedim Remili Remili and Luka Karabatic through injury, but they still have a frightening list of names.

Just the mention of Kentin Mahe, the other Karabatic and Vincent Gerard allied to young guns Dika Mem and Dylan Nahi should give other teams the shakes.

Sadly, we also won't be able to watch the always-entertaining Elohim Prandi as he recovers from a violent attack on New Year's Eve in Paris.

With established Olympic gold medallists like line player Ludovic Fabregas and left winger Hugo Descat, it'll be all eyes on 'Les Experts' in Hungary and Slovakia.

Elsewhere, watching 41-year-old living legend player-coach Kiril Lazarov guide North Macedonia will be fascinating, and with line player Stojanche Stoilov and goalkeepers Martin Tomovski and Nikola Mitrevski in the line-up they could give us a surprise or two.

And if you're looking for surprises, keep an eye on a young Netherlands' side with PSG star Luc Steins and right back Kay Smits leading the line.

Croatia's double act of Duvnjak and Luka Cindric will be out to turn things around after failing to qualify for Tokyo 2020.

Slovenia handed a serious warning to Croatia in a pre-tournament friendly as Blaz Janc, Gasper Marguc, and Joze Baznik shone, definitely a trio to look for.

And from goal scorers to goal stoppers, a 'keeper on form is essential if you're going to win a handball tournament and Serbia have two of the best in Dejan Milosavljev and Vladimir Cupara.

EHF Euro 2022 Preview

France are aiming to win their first Euro title since 2014 but it hasn't been plain sailing, they failed to beat Serbia in both qualifiers, losing 27:24 away, and drawing 26:26 at home.

COVID and injuries have taken their toll too, but with Nikola Karabatic, Descat, and Nahi all returning to fitness they should be there or therabouts when the final throws off on 30 January.

Their Olympic final opponents Denmark would love nothing more than to defeat their old foes on their way to a first Euro title in ten years, a duel that might give us the latest episode in the gripping Hansen-Karabatic clash of the titans series.

Meanwhile reigning champs Spain are aiming for a third straight Euro title and have the squad depth to challenge once more.

After the retirement of Uwe Gensheimer and Steffen Weinhold and lineman Hendrik Pekeler taking a break from national team handball after a sixth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, Germany are a little bit of an unknown quantity.

But with goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, left winger Rune Dahmke and line player Patrick Wiencek teaming up with some young risers, you can never write the Germans off.

Norway were one goal from the final in 2020 when they lost to Croatia, but 2021 wasn't the best of years as they departed both the Worlds and the Olympics at the quarter-final stage. Sagosen and co. are aiming higher in Hungary/Slovakia.

Speaking of hosts Hungary, they have an exciting young team on the rise aiming to unite fans on both sides of the fierce Szeged-Vezprem club rivalry.

They'll get help from the team's two experienced campaigners: Szeged’s Roland Mikler and Veszprem’s Mate Lekai.

Netherlands, Serbia, North Macedonia, Portugal, and Iceland are all capable of springing a surprise or two, and whatever happens, the handball will be a thrill to watch.

EHF Euro 2022 Schedule

Here's a basic schedule when the action is set to happen, you can find a detailed schedule on the official tournament site here.

Preliminary Round

13-18 January

Main Round

20-26 January

Semi-finals

28 January

Final

30 January

EHF Euro 2022 Tickets

According to EHF.com CTS EVENTIM is the European Handball Federation’s official ticketing partner and all tickets are available at tickets.eurohandball.com.

Watch EHF Euro 2022

The event is being filmed and coverage available via broadcast television and streaming in many regions, including on Eurosport and via EHFTV.Com online.

The full details will be annouced prior to the tournament. Bookmark this page and return for more information once confirmed.