Three main top spot contenders get ready

The first round of the qualification for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 in Hungary and Croatia will be completed with four matches on Thursday.

These matches feature the three top teams, Denmark, Spain and France, that will welcome their matches as a good preparation ahead of the World Championship 2013 in Serbia.

Round 2 of the qualification will be played on Saturday, 26 October (1 match) and Sunday (11 matches).

As the joint hosts of the final tournament are directly qualified, 26 teams overall seeded in seven groups of either four or three teams each vie for 14 remaining spots at the European Handball Federation's national team flagship event.

The two top ranked teams of each group will qualify for the EHF EURO 2014. Six qualification rounds will be played until June 2014.

Handball fans have the opportunity to follow the action very closely. There will be live-ticker available for all matches and furthermore six matches will be broadcast on the EHF's designated online TV platform, ehfTV.com.

The schedule is as follows

• Group 5: Sweden vs. Slovenia, 23 October 2013 at 19:15 hrs.
• Group 7: Germany vs. Russia, 23 October 2013 at 19.30 hrs
• Group 2: France vs. Slovakia, 24 October 2013 at 19:15 hrs.
• Group 1: Denmark vs. Austria, 24 October 2013 at 21:00 hrs.
• Group 6: Norway vs. Romania, 27 October 2013 at 16:15 hrs.
• Group 7: Russia vs. Germany, 27 October 2013 at 18:00 hrs.

All matches will be available on demand afterwards. Geo-blocking might apply in certain markets. Please note that all times are local.

Many matches will furthermore be broadcast in the respective nations facing each other. The TV schedule for Rounds 1 and 2 can be downloaded here.

Group 1: Ukraine vs. Lithuania; Thursday, 18:00 hrs. local times in Zaporozhye

After failing to qualify for the World Championship 2013 in Serbia, Ukraine hope to make it to the following major event, the EHF EURO 2014.

Their strongest opponents in this race for the final tournament in Hungary and Croatia are most likely to be Denmark and Austria.

Therefore the team of head coach Leonid Ratner needs to win its opener against Lithuania which will take to the court without their key player Birute Stellbrink who sustained a knee injury.

Denmark vs. Austria; Thursday, 21:00 hrs. local times in Roskilde

The Danish team are the favourites in this match, especially as they play on home court.

Head coach Jan Pytlick is currently rejuvenating his team already for the 2016 Olympic Games, but there is no doubt that a podium finish is still the goal at all major events until then.

Austria can rely on several players from the German Bundesliga, where coach Herbert Müller is also working for domestic champions Thüringer HC.

Group 2: France vs. Slovakia; Thursday, 19:15 hrs. local times in Rouen

This is the first official match for new French coach Alain Portes. Succeeding the very successful Olivier Krumbholz, the former Tunisian men’s coach took over from Krumbholz when France only narrowly qualified for the World Championship in Serbia.

Although the coach changed, the squad nearly remained the same, and therefore France - despite the absence of injured stars Allison Pineau and Simba Dembele - are the clear favourites against Slovakia.

Their aim is to occupy the second spot in this group after all matches have been played as this would mean the first qualification for a major handball tournament in many years.

Group 4: Spain vs. Turkey; Thursday, 20:00 hrs. local times in Leon

Spain, the 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallists, have high ambitions, even though head coach Jorge Duenas still faces the challenge to coach a team, which players are spread all over Europe.

But despite the long journeys to their home country, his players are the clear favourites against Turkey.