U16 Regional
Challenge Cup
Twelve nations. One regional stage.
A new Regional Handball League competition for national U16 teams — players born 2010 or later — across twelve federations of the region.
Girls · Tournament 1
23–25 Oct 2026
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- ASlovenia
- BCroatia
- CKosovo
- DGreece
The competition at a glance
- Nations
- 12
- Groups per category
- 4
- Group matches per team
- 6
- Categories
- 2
- Tournament windows
- 4
- Placements decided
- 1–12
Six competitive internationals, then a placement final for every team
The U16 Regional Challenge Cup is a new Regional Handball League competition for national teams of players born in 2010 or later. It guarantees each of the twelve participating federations six competitive internationals per category in the group stage, and a definitive finishing position between first and twelfth at the end of the season.
Every federation hosts exactly one group-stage tournament, so the competition circulates across the whole region rather than concentrating in a few arenas.
- Slovenia
- Croatia
- Serbia
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Kosovo
- North Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Turkey
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Bulgaria
- Greece
Friday 27 Novemberall times local to the venue
Live centre →Boys and girls, drawn separately
Boys competition
- First window
- 6–8 Nov 2026
- Finals
- 6–8 May 2027
- Group ASlovenia, Croatia, Slovakia
- Group BBosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania
- Group CMontenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo
- Group DTurkey, Bulgaria, Greece
Girls competition
- First window
- 23–25 Oct 2026
- Finals
- 8–10 Apr 2027
- Group ASlovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Slovakia
- Group BCroatia, Montenegro, Serbia
- Group CKosovo, Romania, Bulgaria
- Group DTurkey, Greece, North Macedonia
Three windows to the finals
Draw
Twelve nations are drawn into four groups of three — separately for boys and for girls.
Three windows
Each group plays a full round-robin across three tournament weekends. Every federation hosts one of them.
Finals 1–12
Group winners meet in Final A, runners-up in Final B, third-placed teams in Final C. Every team leaves with a placement.
From the competition office
- Competition25 October 2026
Four winners, four days, and one goal between most of them
Slovakia, Croatia, Romania and Turkey top their groups after the opening window of the girls competition in Prishtina, Rogla, Koprivnica and Veroia.
Read - Competition21 October 2026
The first matches are played this week
Twelve girls teams open the U16 Regional Challenge Cup in Prishtina, Rogla, Koprivnica and Veroia between 22 and 25 October.
Read - Calendar16 September 2026
Girls Group D tournament in Skopje moved to December
North Macedonia, Turkey and Greece will play their second-window tournament on 11–13 December 2026 instead of 27–29 November.
Read - Calendar2 Jul 2026
Calendar and regulations published
Match days for all four windows in both categories are set, including a girls tournament played inside the EURO 2026 window.
Read - Competition15 Jun 2026
Competition confirmed — 12 nations to compete
The U16 Regional Challenge Cup launches in the 2026/27 season with 12 national federations entering both a boys and a girls team.
Read
Partner slots open for 2026/27
Partner and supplier positions for the inaugural season are being finalised. Enquiries via the competition office.
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