Hungary back on top after 32 years - gold at the M20 EURO that leads straight to Macedonia

Some triumphs have a double trump - one for the winner, one for the host still to come. Hungary won the Men's 20 EHF EURO in Cluj-Napoca, beating Sweden 34:32 after extra time, after regular time ended 30:30. Máté Fazekas equalised 30 seconds before the end and took the Hungarians into extra time, and it was their first gold in this competition and the end of a 32-year medal drought (the last was bronze in 1998). But for us something else matters more: this championship completed the 15 tickets for the Junior World Championship (U21) in 2027 - which is played in Macedonia. Among the qualified are Sweden, Hungary, Denmark, Slovenia, Germany, France, Norway, Spain. We will be the host of the world elite - and that is a responsibility being built from now.

Slovenia with a fourth bronze - the Balkans keep the rhythm in youth handball

While some take the gold, the neighbours show us how continuity is built. Slovenia won bronze at the M20 EURO by beating Denmark 30:28 in the third-place match - a fourth bronze in the history of that championship for the Slovenes, who with six medals in total drew level with Germany. Goalkeeper Matevž Mlakar saved 14 shots, and Aljuš Anžic was his team's top scorer with nine goals, finishing the tournament with 65 strikes. This is no coincidence: small Balkan states with a serious system of youth teams regularly fight for medals where richer federations spend many times more. A message Macedonian handball must not keep quiet about - especially before the home World Championship in 2027.

Barcelona and Füchse Berlin favourites for the club summit - the Catalans dictate the rules again

At club level, the story rarely changes. Barcelona and Füchse Berlin are being named as the main favourites for the top trophies in the coming season - the Catalans, as usual, with the deepest squad and the biggest budget in European handball. Germany's Füchse, who in recent years have grown into a serious challenger, are the team most able to sour their dominance. Handball at European club level has long been split into a few rich giants and everyone else hunting some upset - a model painfully familiar in both football and basketball. The question is not whether Barcelona is a favourite, but who even has the courage and the money to stand up to them all the way.

Suholežnik at Alkaloid - an experienced pivot with a CV that says our league is growing

When a player with a CV like this chooses Macedonia, it is more than a transfer - it is a certificate. Alkaloid brought in the Slovenian pivot Matic Suholežnik (31), who comes from RD Slovan, and in his career gathered clubs such as Celje, Dunkirk, Benfica and the Croatian champion Zagreb. „I like both the club and Skopje as a city. I have followed the Macedonian league for years - it gets stronger every year. I believe we will achieve good results,” Suholežnik said. Alkaloid lost four players from last season (Ivanovski, Markoski, Simonovski, Serafimov), but alongside Suholežnik also brought in Nejc Cehte and Vuko Borozan. When foreign experienced players believe it is worth playing here, that is a quiet but clear sign that something in domestic handball is moving upward.

Macedonia jumped four places in the EHF - two direct tickets for the European League

This is news worth more than any individual transfer. Macedonian club handball advanced four positions on the EHF ranking list for the 2027/28 season, from 14th to 10th place, with a coefficient of 33.00. The practical benefit is concrete: instead of our champion begging for a special invitation (a wildcard), Macedonia now gets two direct tickets for the European League, plus two guaranteed places in the EHF European Cup. The ranking is calculated from the clubs' results from the 2023/24 to 2025/26 seasons, and the European League next season will count 36 teams from 18 federations. Direct places in the Champions League still remain out of reach - for those you need a top 10 among the federations with guaranteed places - but the climb is real and deserved. A rare piece of news where the system works, rather than complains.