Mrkonja believes that the powerful selection of Denmark, the current Olympic and world champion, is the biggest favorite for the European Championship and that it is certain that they will try to combine the three major titles and thus become the absolute rulers of world handball.
24 national selections will participate in the tournament, which will fight for the continental title across several Scandinavian cities. Among the participants are, apart from Denmark, traditional handball powers such as France, Spain, Germany, Croatia and Sweden, as well as national teams that are increasingly asserting themselves, such as Georgia, Italy and the Faroe Islands.
Although he believes that currently it is difficult for any team to compete with the Danes, Mrkonja will be rooting for the Portuguese national team at this competition, which he believes can finally make a breakthrough on the international stage and find its place among the best teams in the world.
– I really like Portugal’s game. They have not been unknown for many years, nor are they a naive selection. In a way, I would compare their handball with Brazilian football. They play attractively and fast, but strong enough to cope with the biggest European teams. For a long time, they were on the verge of reaching the very top of European handball, and they often lost to the greats by a goal or two. I think that they are now in a situation to change that and make a big step forward – said Mrkonja.
He adds that behind the Danes in the competition for medals are established handball superpowers such as France, Germany and Sweden, but that there are still numerous selections that can provide top handball, surprise the favorites and do a good job.
For the second time in history, three countries will jointly organize the championship. Denmark, Norway and Sweden will host different stages of the competition: Herning (Denmark), Oslo/Bærum (Norway) and Malmö and Kristianstad (Sweden) will host group matches. After the group stage, the competition continues in the main round, and the semi-final and final matches will be played in famous arenas, including the Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning.
The official EP draw took place in May 2025 in Herning, where the teams were drawn into balanced groups, heralding exciting duels throughout the January competition.
The national teams are divided into six groups of four teams each, and the preliminary round already brings a series of top duels. The two best teams from each group will advance to the main round, followed by the semi-finals and final. The final of the championship will be played in Herning, in one of the most famous handball halls in Europe.
(Vijesti.ba / FENA)
