A little more than three months after being beaten by Norway in the final of the Paris Olympic Games, the French women's team is ready to take revenge during the 16e edition of the European championship. Now led by Sébastien Gardillou, who succeeds Olivier Krumbholz in office for 26 years (1998-2024), the Bleues, world champions in 2023, will inevitably be eagerly awaited. Just like Norway, Olympic champion in Paris and reigning European champion. Date, TV broadcast, French team… Here is everything you need to know about this Euro 2024.
Where and when is Euro 2024 played?
Ce 16e European Women's Handball Championship will be a milestone, as the EHF, the European Federation, has officially decided to extend the tournament from 16 to 24 teams as for the men's tournament. From November 28 to December 15 this edition will be held in three different countries: Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. This will not be a first in the history of the Euro, because during the previous opus in 2022, the tournament won by Norway was played in North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia.
The final phase, which was initially scheduled to take place in Budapest, will ultimately be held at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna (Austria). The Olympiahalle in Innsbruck (Austria), the Halle Saint-Jacques in Basel (Switzerland) and the Főnix Aréna in Debrecen (Hungary) will also host the matches of this Euro 2024.
Euro 2024 favorites
Title holder, 9 European crowns on the clock (a record) and 2024 Olympic champion, the Norway promises to be the big favorite of this Euro. Led by goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, voted best player of the Paris Olympics, pivot Kari Brattset and Henny Reistad (best player in the world 2023), the Scandinavians seem very difficult to beat. Behind the Norwegians, the team of France will obviously have a say with a selection now led by Sébastien Gardillou. Beaten by Norway in the Olympic final, the Blues, 2023 champions, remain in a mixed preparation marked by defeats against Hungary and Spain and successes against the same Hungary and Angola. Among the outsiders, we will also have to count on the Denmark, bronze medalist at the Paris Games with notably winger Emma Friis, the The Netherlands (2019 world champions) or even the Suedestill waiting for an international title.
READ ALSO. Handball. The French women's team beaten by Hungary for Sébastien Gardillou's first
The Bleues calendar
The Blues of captain Estelle Nze Minko will begin their Euro in Group C on Thursday against Poland in Basel (8:30 p.m.). They will then meet Spain and Portugal to close the preliminary round of the competition. In the event of qualification, France would join the Main Tour from December 5 to 11 before a final phase scheduled for December 13 to 15.
Thursday November 28 : France – Poland (8:30 p.m.) in Basel.
Saturday November 30 : France – Spain (6 p.m.) in Basel.
Monday December 2 : Portugal – France (8:30 p.m.) in Basel
The list of selected Blues
The French Handball Federation has officially revealed the names of the 19 players who will start Euro 2024. A list without any big surprises for coach Sébastien Gardillou's first competition. In total, 15 of the 19 players selected were Olympic vice-champions this summer in Paris.
Guardians: Floriane André (Brest, 24 years old), Laura Glauser (FTC Rail Cargo/HON, 31 years old), Hatadou Sako (Györ/HON, 29 years old)
Left wingers: Coralie Lassource (Brest, 32 years old), Chloé Valentini (Metz, 29 years old)
Left backs: Orlane Kanor (FTC Rail Cargo/HON, 27 years old), Clarisse Mairot (Brest, 23 years old), Estelle Nze Minko (Gyor/HON, 33 years old)
Center halves: Tamara Horacek (Crimea Ljubljana/SLO, 29 years old), Grâce Zaadi Deuna (Crimea Ljubljana/SLO, 31 years old)
Pivots : Sarah Bouktit (Metz, 22 years old), Pauletta Foppa (Brest, 23 years old), Oriane Ondono (Brest, 28 years old)
Right rears: Laura Flippes (Metz, 29 years old), Léna Grandveau (Metz, 21 years old), Déborah Lassource (Dortmund/ALL, 25 years old)
Right wingers: Pauline Coatanea (Brest, 31 years old), Lucie Granier (Metz, 25 years old), Alicia Toublanc (SCM Ramnicu Valcea/ROU, 28 years old)
On which channel to watch Euro 2024?
The 2024 European Women's Handball Championship is broadcast in full on beIN SPORTS. The group TF1 also has the unencrypted broadcast rights to several matches of the French team (three group matches, the semi-final and the final). In the preliminary round, the match against Poland will be broadcast on TFX and that against Spain on TMC.
