The just concluded European Handball Championship tournament in Germany boasts a phenomenal turnout. So much so that the president of the European Handball Federation, Michael Wiederer, said that the German competition was: "the best ever in the championship's history".

More than million spectators in the stands

Organised by the European Handball Federation (EHF) was the 16th edition of the tournament and the third to feature 24 national teams. It took place in Germany from January 10 to 28, 2024. France won their fourth title after a victory over Denmark, while Sweden won the bronze medal over Germany. The event concluded on Sunday at Cologne’s Lanxess Arena. Both the final and the third-place game a sellout crowd of 19,750.

Most impressive, however, were the opening match between Germany and Switzerland on January 10. The meeting, held at Merkur Spiel-Arena, attracted a huge crowd of 53,586 spectators, setting a world record. The venue is home of 2. Bundesliga football club Fortuna Düsseldorf and is therefore mainly used for football. Sports fans can check out gambling offers and bet on the results.

© Quahadi (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The crowd at the opening game of the tournament surpassed the previous world record of 44,189, which was set in September 2014 when HSV Hamburg and Rhein-Neckar Löwen met at Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park. The championship also set a record for the total number of handball spectators and was the first to exceed one million. Euro 2024 was the first edition of the tournament to be played with 24 teams in one single country. Matches were also played at Berlin’s Mercedes-Benz Arena, Hamburg’s Barclays Arena, Mannheim’s SAP Arena, and Munich’s Olympiahalle.

Best ever tournament

The organisers predicted that more than a million fans would attend the matches during the tournament, and so they did. The final weekend was sold out, with the preliminary round reaching 98% capacity. The event was not only popular with locals, as 5,000 Faroese fans attended matches in Berlin and 9,000 Danish fans in Hamburg.

Michael Wiederer, president of the EHF, said: The Men’s Euro 2024 in Germany is the best ever in the championship’s history. The powerful combination of vibrant arena atmospheres with record-breaking spectator figures and millions at home following the matches, groundbreaking digital engagement and strong sponsorships has lifted the product ‘EHF EURO’ to the next level. The EHF, in collaboration with Infront, has set a new benchmark in how handball can captivate and engage on a global scale.

© Stephan Hoogerwaard

Denmark, Sweden and Norway will co-host the 2026 EHF tournament. Spain, Portugal and Switzerland will organise the 2028 edition.