Slovenia Agrees to Home Game Swap With Israeli Handball Team

The Slovenian Handball Federation has agreed to switch home game advantage with the Israeli national team for an upcoming European Championship qualifier in November. This agreement follows extensive negotiations between Idan Mizrahi, chairman of the Israeli Handball Association, and his Slovenian counterpart.

Israel was drawn into a qualifying group with Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Bosnia. The initial schedule had Israel playing its second game at home against Slovenia on November 7, just three days after an away game in the Czech Republic on November 4. However, due to the inability to host games in Israel at this time, Mizrahi initiated talks with Slovenia, a European handball powerhouse, to swap the home and away fixtures.

As a result, Israel will now conclude its qualifying campaign in May with two home games against the Czech Republic and Slovenia. The association hopes that by then, games can be hosted in Israel. There is also a strategic hope that Slovenia, the strongest team in the group, might have already secured qualification before the May games, potentially leading them to field a less experienced squad against Israel.

Mizrahi described the process as "not simple at all" but emphasized its critical importance for Israel's chances of qualifying for the European Championship. He expressed satisfaction with the association's proactive approach compared to other sports. Mizrahi stated that he has done everything possible to support the team, led by coach David Pisonero, and that the responsibility now lies with the players and staff. He also thanked Foreign Minister Gidon Saar and Israel's ambassador to Slovenia, Ruth Cohen, for their assistance. Mizrahi also mentioned a recent meeting with the president of Bosnia, who promised fair treatment for the upcoming match against Bosnia in March.