Sweden and Denmark, together with Norway, won the hosting rights for two European Championships ©Getty Images

Hosts have been chosen for the 2026 and 2028 editions of the European Handball Federation's (EHF) flagship international competitions, with Norway, Sweden and Denmark together securing the rights for two European Championships.

Men's EHF Euro 2026 is heading to the three Scandinavian nations, while the 2028 edition of the women's event will also be staged by Sweden, Denmark and Norway, following decisions taken at the EHF Congress in Vienna today.

Russia will stage a European Handball Championship for the first time in 2026, when the women's edition comes to the country.

A combined bid from Spain, Portugal and Switzerland will stage the men's 2028 European Championship.

The awarding of the events was largely a rubber-stamping exercise, with Russia the sole bidder for the women's event in 2026, the three-country Scandinavian bid targetted the two events it won the rights to, and Spain, Portugal and Switzerland having zoomed in on the men's 2028 European Championship.

Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning in Denmark has been earmarked for the climax of Men's EHF Euro 2026, with Norwegian capital Oslo due to hold the Women's EHF Euro 2028 finale at Nye Fornebu.

For Men's EHF Euro 2028, seven cities - Portuguese capital Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid in Spain, plus Switzerland's Basel, Lausanne and Zürich - should host matches, with Madrid expected to stage the final.

The iconic Santiago Bernabéu or Wanda Metropolitano - the respective homes of football clubs Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid - have been suggested as potential venues.

Russia's winning bid for Women's EHF Euro 2026 was centred on Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

Spain, Portugal and Switzerland will stage the men's 2028 European Championship ©EHF
Spain, Portugal and Switzerland will stage the men's 2028 European Championship ©EHF

VTB Arena in the capital is the proposed venue for the final.

EHF EHF President Michael Wiederer also announced a €6 million (£5 million/$6.8 million) cash injection into European handball over the next four years.

Funding is poised to be allocated to National Federations under an "Embrace Handball" banner.

The EHF 360º and SMART 2.0 programmes will both be used to help allocate this funding.

SMART 2.0 will see funding given to national bodies for projects which benefit a long-term strategic plan, it is claimed, while with EHF 360º, the EHF says it will inspect a National Federation's structure and status before offering financial support and mentoring where appropriate. 

Funding may also be distributed through short-term projects and other EHF initiatives.

"We have to secure the position of handball in the changing world of sports," Wiederer said.

"We have to combine the unique elements of our sport - while keeping the core intact - with the evolution in several areas around us."