EHF EURO 2028 Qualifiers Preview: Germany, France Open Campaigns
Men's EHF EURO 2028 Qualifiers Rounds 1-2 preview: Germany vs Belgium, France vs Romania, Hungary vs Montenegro and Denmark vs Spain picks.
Club handball takes a break this week. The EHF Champions League men's group phase ended Oct. 29, and the main round doesn't start until Nov. 18. National teams take over instead. The Men's EHF EURO 2028 Qualifiers open with Rounds 1 and 2 from Wednesday, Nov. 4, through Sunday, Nov. 8.
Thirty-two teams in eight groups of four are chasing 20 spots at EURO 2028, which Spain, Portugal and Switzerland will host in January 2028. The top two teams in each group qualify, along with the four best third-place teams. Those third-place teams are ranked only on their results against the top two in their group.
Denmark and the three co-hosts are already in. They play a separate EHF EURO Cup alongside the qualifiers, and Denmark vs. Spain on Nov. 4 is the standout game of that competition.
Why this window matters
This is the last official window before the 2027 World Championship, which Germany co-hosts starting in January. Most of the big nations will treat these games as a dress rehearsal. That means strong rosters, but also coaches trying out tactical ideas. Expect wide winning margins from the favorites and some rotation in the second game of the week.
Germany vs. Belgium (Thursday, Nov. 5, Berlin)
Germany won silver at EURO 2026, losing the final to Denmark 34-27 in Herning. They open at home at Uber Arena in Berlin against a Belgium side still chasing its first EURO berth. Then they travel to Slovakia on Sunday, Nov. 8 in Presov.
Coach Alfred Gislason named an 18-man squad built around his regular core: goalkeepers Andreas Wolff and David Späth, veteran leaders Johannes Golla and Julian Köster, playmaker Juri Knorr, and young scorers Renārs Uščins, Marko Grgic and Nils Lichtlein. Right back Niklas Theiß and left wing David Móré earned first call-ups. Gislason said the goal is to collect points while also sharpening the team's structures for January. That points to a professional, if not ruthless, performance.
France vs. Romania (Thursday, Nov. 5, Aix-en-Provence)
France have a new look. Talant Dujshebaev took over as head coach in February after a disappointing EURO 2026, where France finished seventh and missed the final weekend. His 19-man group keeps most of the core, with captain Ludovic Fabregas, Dika Mem, Nedim Remili, Elohim Prandi and Melvyn Richardson. Winger Hugo Descat returns after missing the May camp.
There's one late change. Goalkeeper Romain Mathias sprained his ankle in a league game and withdrew, so Charles Bolzinger and Valentin Kieffer will share the net. Romania played Poland twice in the last qualifying cycle and lost both games by one goal. They're competitive, but France at home is a different level. France then visit Latvia in Jelgava on Sunday.
Hungary vs. Montenegro (Thursday, Nov. 5)
This is the most competitive game of Round 1. Hungary have the deepest EURO history in Group 4, and their best finish was fifth in 2024. At EURO 2026 they finished 10th. Montenegro have qualified for seven straight EUROs. When the two met in Hungary in the last qualifying cycle, the game ended 29-29. The Faroe Islands, who have a young core and a loud traveling fan base, make this group tougher than it looks, so Thursday's points are big.
Denmark vs. Spain (Wednesday, Nov. 4, EURO Cup)
Denmark won EURO 2026 at home. That gave them the European, world and Olympic titles at the same time, and they'll be chasing a fifth straight world title in January. Spain finished 11th at EURO 2026, one of their worst results in years, and Denmark beat them comfortably in the main round. The game has nothing riding on it for qualification, since both teams are already in, but it's Denmark's last competitive outing before the Worlds.
Other games to watch
- Group 1: Croatia, the EURO 2026 bronze medalists, head a group with the Netherlands, Lithuania and Finland. Croatia beat the Dutch 35-29 at the EURO.
- Group 3: Iceland, fourth at EURO 2026, open alongside Serbia, Ukraine and Estonia.
- Group 2: Norway, ninth at the EURO, host Georgia and then visit Türkiye.
- Group 8: Sweden, the record five-time champions, start their campaign against North Macedonia, Greece and Luxembourg.
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Our picks
- Germany to beat Belgium, and cover a big handicap. Germany have a silver-medal roster, a home crowd in Berlin and a debutant-level opponent. Spreads will be large, often double digits, but Germany's depth means the margin shouldn't shrink much when the bench comes in. We like Germany on the handicap.
- France to beat Romania. Dujshebaev's first competitive home game should bring a focused performance, and France's attack is much deeper. The goalkeeper change matters less against Romania than it would against Poland. France on the moneyline is a parlay leg. On the handicap, lean France if the line is in single digits.
- Hungary to beat Montenegro. This is a lean, not a strong play. The 29-29 draw last cycle shows how close this matchup can be, so avoid big handicaps. Hungary +0.5 or draw-no-bet is the safer way in, and the under on the total is worth a look if it's set in the high 50s.
- Denmark to beat Spain. Denmark are the best team in the world, and they beat Spain comfortably at the EURO. With no qualification pressure, expect rotation, so keep stakes modest on the handicap.
- Germany to win in Slovakia (Sunday). Slovakia should be more competitive at home than Belgium. Germany on the moneyline is still a reasonable parlay piece.
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Sources: EHF - Men's EHF EURO 2028 Qualifiers: schedule and key matches · DHB - Gislason names squad for EURO qualifiers · Equipe de France - 19-player group for EURO 2028 qualifiers · FFHandball - Romain Mathias withdraws · Wikipedia - 2028 European Men's Handball Championship qualification · Wikipedia - 2026 European Men's Handball Championship
Predictions are ChalkEdge's opinion from the data available when this was written, not a guarantee. Lines and lineups change: check the current line before you play.