Macedonia's Youth Set Off for the Euros in Romania, and Taleski Warns There Are No Safe Favorites at the World Cup Anymore

The Youth Euros Begin in Romania - 24 Nations, Two Weeks of Battle

The young generation opens the handball summer. From July 8 to 19, in the Romanian cities of Cluj-Napoca and Turda, the U-20 European Handball Championship (M20) is played, with 24 national teams split into six groups of four. The top two from each group advance to the main round. This is the 15th edition of the competition and the second in a row with the expanded 24-team format. For the young players, this is the stage where the first chapters of a career are written - those who stand out here, we'll see in the senior national teams and the big clubs within a few years. The continental peak of the generation is decided over the next two weeks.

Macedonia's Youth Are Ready - Preparations Done, It's the Pitch's Turn

Our team is there too. The Macedonian men's youth handball national team finished its preparations and played warm-up matches before leaving for Romania. The squad is ready to compete at the European Championship, the Handball Federation confirmed. For a handball nation like ours, youth national teams aren't just training for the future - they're proof the system still produces players. The question every fan asks is whether this generation will keep Macedonia's place where it has fought for decades - among the European elite, not on the margins. The answer begins to be written in Cluj.

Taleski Warns: There Are No Safe Favorites at the World Cup Anymore

While the youth prepare, senior international Filip Taleski analyzed the ongoing World Championship in handball. His point is clear: the days when big national teams cruised past underdogs are definitively over. In the knockout stages, Taleski says, mental quality decides, not just individual class. This is something Balkan handball has long known - on the pitch, heart and head often outweigh the names on the jerseys. When the gaps between national teams narrow, the winner is the one who holds up under pressure. For a small nation that wants to mix it with the big ones, this is good news - the room for a surprise has never been wider.

Božinovski and Načevski on the EHF List for the Women's Euros

Macedonian handball got recognition where it's rarely seen too - in refereeing. The European Handball Federation nominated the 16 referee pairs who will dispense justice at the 2026 Women's European Championship, played across five countries. On the list is the Macedonian pair, Danielo Božinovski and Viktor Načevski. Referees rarely make the headlines except when they get it wrong, which is why it's worth noting when they get in on merit. Having your own referees at a European championship means the nation is present on the pitch even when the national team isn't playing. A quiet recognition, but one that counts.

Butel Kept Janevski and Kaevski - the Club Builds Around Youth

At home, Skopje's Butel announced it is keeping its two young players for another two seasons. Center back David Janevski and left wing Marko Kaevski stay in the Skopje side's jersey. In a handball where the best domestic talents often flee abroad at the first bigger offer, keeping young players is a move that says the club is building around something lasting, not just for next season. Whether Butel will manage to keep them when stronger clubs come knocking, time will tell - but for now, continuity has been chosen over a quick payday. A rare decision in our handball, and precisely why it's worth noting.