Hosts for qualification tournaments named

The European Handball Federation has awarded the qualification tournaments for the 2013 Women's 17 European Championship in Poland.

The qualification matches for the event will be played in form of tournaments at one venue from Friday, 22 March 2013 to Sunday, 24 March 2013.

The tournaments have been awarded as follows:

• Group 2 with Romania, Czech Republic, Turkey and Azerbaijan will be organised by the Czech Republic
• Group 3 with Russia, Croatia, Slovenia and Switzerland will be organised by Russia
• Group 4 with Denmark, Austria, Montenegro and Estonia will be organised by Montenegro
• Group 5 with Netherlands, Germany, Iceland and Latvia will be organised by Iceland
• Group 6 with Hungary, Portugal, Lithuania and FYR Macedonia will be organised by Hungary
• Group 7 with Norway, Slovakia, Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be organised by Slovakia
• Group 8 with France, Belarus, Serbia and Finland will be organised by Serbia

The host for Qualification Group 1 with Sweden, Spain, Bulgaria and Italy has yet to be determined.

Poland as the organising nation have already qualified. 15 places are still open and will be decided in the abovementioned qualification tournaments.

The 2013 Women's 17 European Championship take place from 15 to 25 August.