Top Handball in Bolzano and Merano

Next year, from 29 until June 7, 1998 the Handball-world will look to Bolzano and Merano. For the first time the European Handball Championship takes place in Italy. The twelfe best European teams will fight for the desired EC-title.

The European Championship taking place in Bolzano and Merano is the third in the history. The first Championship was held in Portugal 1994. Two years later Spain was the venue of the Final Round. The first European Champion was Sweden, two years later, in Spain, Russia won the EC crown.

For the third time Italy is venue of an important Handball happening. In 1984 the World Championship-Group C was held (eight qualification games were played in Bressanone, South Tyrol), and in 1987 the Trentino-South Tyrol Region, with the towns of Bolzano, Bressanone, Merano and Rovereto, were the organizers of the B-World Championship, valid also as qualification tournament for the Olimpic Games in Seoul 1988.

In 38 matches the new European Champion and successor of Russia will be selected. In the "Palaonda" in Bolzano and the new stadium of Merano 15 qualifiying round matches will be played. Thereafter in Merano a semifinal match and two placement matches will take place. The "Palaonda" in Bolzano, with 7200 seats for spectators, is the venue for the second semifinal, two placement matches and for the two final games (first and third place), where the medal winners will be determined.