Hungary to Their First M20 EHF EURO Title in a Thriller - Decided After Two Overtimes

Hungary won their first title at the Men's European Championship for players under 20, and in the hardest way possible - after two overtimes against Sweden. In the final in Cluj-Napoca, the Swedes led 16:15 at half-time and were even up 28:26 three minutes before the end, but Máté Fazekas equalised thirty seconds before the siren and forced the decision into overtime. After 30:30 at the end of the first overtime, Hungarian goalkeeper Ádám Kristóf Balog sealed the triumph with key saves - 34:32. Hungary's top scorer was Péter Gazsó with 14 goals. A final decided after two overtimes isn't forgotten - this is a generation that refused to lose when everyone had written the match off.

The Draw for the EHF European League - Pelister in a Group With Gummersbach

The draw for the group phase of the EHF European League for men 2026/27 was held in Vienna, and among the eight groups there is direct Macedonian interest. RK Eurofarm Pelister, with experience from the Champions League, has been placed in Group G, where it will face Germany's Gummersbach, Spain's Logroño and Poland's Gdańsk. The Balkans have more representatives - Croatia's Nexe, a quarter-finalist last year, is in Group A with Elverum, and also in the mix are Tatran Prešov and other regional names. The group phase runs from 29 September to 2 December, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the play-offs. For Pelister, a group with Gummersbach isn't an easy draw, but it's exactly the stage where Macedonian handball likes to prove itself.

The Netherlands and Finland With Titles at the M20 European Championship

While the duel for gold at the EHF EURO was under way, the second-tier European tournaments for players under 20 were also being decided in the Kosovar capital. The Netherlands and Finland celebrated in the finals of the M20 European Championship, beating Estonia and Slovakia respectively. These tournaments gather the twelve best teams that didn't qualify for the main EHF EURO, and are played in a system of six teams in a group phase, with final matches for placement and medals. Such championships rarely make the headlines, but it's exactly here that the players who will fill the national teams in a few years are born - including the Balkan ones.

Alkaloid With Three Signings Chases Titles on Four Fronts

Under coach Kiril Lazarov and with three new names in the squad, the handball players of Alkaloid have officially begun their pre-season. The Skopje club is competing this year on four fronts, which means a wide schedule and the need for a deep squad. Lazarov, one of the greatest names Macedonian handball has produced, is now building from the bench a team that wants to be competitive everywhere at once. Four fronts sound ambitious, but they're also a trap - without enough depth, a crammed schedule can wear out even the best. The pre-season will now show whether three signings are enough for such ambition.

Eurofarm Pelister 2 Starts Pre-Season - Youth and Experience Under a New Coach

Top-league side Eurofarm Pelister 2, under new coach Branislav Angelovski, has begun preparations for the 2026/27 season. The club's goal is clear - developing young players and a blend of youth and experience, backed by four new signings and a new coaching staff. The second team of the Bitola giant has for years served as a nursery for talents who then reach the first team and the national side. That's precisely why such a club isn't measured only by its table position, but by how many players it builds for the future. A new coach and four newcomers - the foundation is laid, it remains for the work on court to justify it.