Contracts signed for Younger Age Category events

This summer will see the roll out of the first phase of changes to the competition structure for Europe’s Younger Age Category events.

Starting with the men’s 18 category, the overhaul of the playing format will bring a new two tier system with the top 16 ranked teams playing in the EHF M18 EURO and the remaining lower ranked teams competing in EHF M18 Championship tournaments.

Ahead of the summer the first contracts have already been signed between the EHF and the hosting nations.

Croatia will host the EHF M18 EURO from 11 to 21 August 2016 in Zagreb (Sutinska Vrela) and Koprivnica (SDG Gymnasium Fran Galovic).

The contract was signed on 10 February 2016 between the Damir Poljak, Secretary General of the Croatian Handball Federation, and Michael Wiederer, EHF Secretary General.

Further contracts were signed on the fringes of the EHF EUR 2016 in Poland.

The Secretary General of the Lithuanian Handball Federation, Miglius Astrauskas, completed formalities for the organisation of the EHF M18 Championship, which will take place from 15 to 21 August in Vilnius (pictured below with EHF President, Jean Brihault and EHF Secretary General, Michael Wiederer).
 

A further two EHF M18 Championship events will take place in Georgia in the Olimpic Handball Arena in the city of Tbilisi between 15 and 21 August 2016 and also in Bulgaria in Varna (Palace of Culture and Sports) and Kamchia (Sport Complex Kamchia) from 14 to 20 August 2016.

The new system will be introduced in the EHF M20 EURO from 2018, which means that in 2016 there will just be one final tournament, to be played in Denmark 28 July to 7 August in Kolding and Vamdrup with 16 participants.

The event contract was signed by the President of the Danish Handball Federation, Per Bertelsen, and the federation's Secretary General, Morten Stig Christensen, together with EHF President, Jean Brihault, and EHF Secretary General, Michael Wiederer (pictured below).