Israel U20 Handball Team Begins European Championship With Eyes on World Stage

The Israel under-20 handball team is set to start its campaign at the European Championship in Cluj and Turda, northern Romania, aiming to finish among the top 14 teams and qualify for the upcoming World Championship for the first time. The team departed for Romania on July 6, 2026, missing one of its key players, Guy Resh Arman, who will play in Germany next season. Despite this, the squad is confident after strong preparation, including two wins against Greece in warm-up matches.

Israel's first match is scheduled for July 7 at noon against reigning European champions Sweden, followed by games against Bosnia on July 8 and host nation Romania on July 10. For the first time, all matches will be broadcast on Sport Channel. Coach Chen Pomerantz expressed optimism about the team's readiness, highlighting significant progress over the past year and a half and the players' improved experience at their clubs.

Pomerantz acknowledged the challenge of facing Sweden but believes the team can perform well and use the opener to build confidence. He described the match against Bosnia as a key encounter against a team with high-quality players and noted Romania's home advantage as a tough obstacle. The coach emphasized that the primary goal is to qualify for the World Championship, but if circumstances align, the team could aim even higher. He stressed the importance of progressing game by game and focusing on individual player development.

The Israeli roster includes Alon Rotzavi, Yehonatan Benshtrit, Eitan Elbaz, Liam Mader, Itamar Goldstein, Loic Bexou, Tal Galili, Yuval Haber, captain Tal Ekstein, Yonatan Pelech, Noy Feirman, Ido Chernovilski, Ben Gross, Asaf Sharon (captain), Idan Mana, Uri Cohen, Adi Cohen, and Ariel Sheharvani. The coaching staff features head coach Chen Pomerantz, assistant coach Evitar Gevaon, goalkeeper coach Pedro Silva, physiotherapist Eyal Amar, psychologist Roy Yablonchik, equipment manager Dor Moshe, and delegation head Gilad Natan.