EHF European Cup Final
The Slovak handball club Iuventa Michalovce, featuring three Ukrainian athletes, has secured a spot in the EHF European Cup final. In the semifinals, the Michalovce squad faced Turkey's Bursa Büyükşehir. Although Bursa won the first leg 34:29, Iuventa Michalovce dominated the return match with a decisive 25:19 victory. During this crucial game, Karina Soskyda scored five goals, Iryna Kompaniiets added one, and goalkeeper Anastasiya Lazorak also contributed on the court, helping the club advance to the final.
In the championship showdown, Iuventa Michalovce will compete against Spain's Guardés, which reached the final by defeating Málaga twice with scores of 26:24 and 26:23. The first final match is set for May 16 at 7:00 PM Kyiv time, with the return leg scheduled for May 23. The EHF European Cup is the third-tier club competition in European handball, organized under the European Handball Federation.
2026 European Championship
Additionally, the Ukrainian women's national handball team has learned its match schedule for the 2026 European Championship. The tournament will be hosted across the Czech Republic, Turkey, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Ukraine has been placed in Group E alongside Poland, France, and the Faroe Islands, with all group matches taking place in Katowice, Poland. The Ukrainian squad will open the group stage on December 5 at 9:30 PM against the Faroe Islands, followed by a game against Poland on December 7 at 7:00 PM, and a final group match versus France on December 9 at 9:30 PM.
Ukraine's women's team qualified for Euro 2026 by finishing third in a group that included Sweden, Serbia, and Lithuania. This marks the 13th time in history that the Ukrainian women's national team has earned a spot at the European Championship. Their best-ever result at the tournament remains a silver medal, achieved back in 2000.
The advancement of Iuventa Michalovce to the EHF European Cup final and the Ukrainian national team's qualification for the 2026 European Championship highlight the growing impact of Ukrainian female handball players on the international stage. The Euro 2026 group stage promises intense competition, especially with strong opponents like Poland and France. These successes could further boost handball development in Ukraine and spark greater interest in the sport among younger generations.
As Iuventa Michalovce prepares for its upcoming final, it's worth noting the broader landscape of women's handball in Ukraine. The national team has recently received its schedule for the 2026 European Championship, marking another significant moment in the sport's development. For more details on their opponents and match dates, visit this article.