Germany wins U18 European handball championship

The German U18 men's national handball team has won the 2026 European Championship in Serbia. The team secured the title with a 36-27 victory over Slovenia in the final.

Germany's path to the gold included a group stage win followed by losses to Slovenia and France in the main round. After qualifying for the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams, the squad led by coach Erik Wudtke defeated Iceland 33-31 in the quarterfinals and Spain 32-27 in the semifinals.

The victory highlights the success of German youth development, particularly within the SC Magdeburg club, which contributed four players to the championship squad: Elvis Ernesto Kretzschmar, Mats Brigzinsky, Tim Bennet Thielicke, and Malte Elze. While the win signals a bright future for German handball, analysts note that the long-term challenge remains integrating these talents into professional club leagues to match the sustained success seen in nations like Denmark.