The 2023 IHF Emerging Nations Handball Championship was the fourth edition of the IHF Emerging Nations Championship held in Bulgaria under the aegis of International Handball Federation from 25 to 30 April 2023.[1]
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |  Bulgaria |
| Venue(s) | 1 (in 1 host city) |
| Dates | 25–30 April |
| Teams | 12 (from 5 confederations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Cuba (1st title) |
| Runner-up |  Cyprus |
| Third place | Bulgaria |
| Fourth place |  India |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 24 |
| Goals scored | 1,261 (52.54 per match) |
| Attendance | 3,623 (151 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Francesco Pereira(34 goals) |
| Best player | Hanser Rodríguez |
Cuba won the tournament for the first time by defeating Cyprus in the final.[2]
Participating teams edit
| Country | Previous appearances |
|---|---|
 Andorra |
2 (2015, 2017) |
 Australia |
1 (2015) |
 Azerbaijan |
2 (2017, 2019) |
| Bulgaria |
3 (2015, 2017, 2019) |
| Cuba |
1 (2019) |
| Cyprus |
1 (2017) |
| Great Britain |
3 (2015, 2017, 2019) |
 Guatemala |
0 (debut) |
| India |
1 (2019) |
 Malta |
3 (2015, 2017, 2019) |
 Moldova |
2 (2015, 2017) |
 Nigeria |
1 (2019) |
- 1 Bold indicates champion for that year. Italics indicates host.
Draw edit
Preliminary round edit
All times are local (UTC+3).
Group A edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 54 | +5 | 4 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Andorra
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 52 | 53 | −1 | 2 | 5–8th place semifinals |
| 3 | Malta
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 58 | 62 | −4 | 0 | 9–12th place semifinals |
Source: IHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
| 25 April 2023 12:15 |
Malta
|
27–29 | Andorra
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 111 Referees: Linster, Rauchs (LUX) |
| Gruppetta 10 | (12–12) | Ruiz 11 | ||
2× 5×
|
Report | 6×
|
| 26 April 2023 12:15 |
Andorra
|
23–26 | India
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 52 Referees: Al-Wahibi, Al-Shahi (OMA) |
| Ruiz 10 | (10–14) | Ankit 10 | ||
| 5×
|
Report | 5× 1×
|
| 27 April 2023 12:15 |
Malta
|
31–33 | India
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 51 Referees: Doychinov, Goretsov (BUL) |
| Spiteri 9 | (14–15) | Amit, Mohit 10 | ||
| 1× 3× 1×
|
Report | 1×
|
Group B edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cyprus
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 52 | +7 | 4 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Australia
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 46 | 0 | 2 | 5–8th place semifinals |
| 3 | Moldova
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 53 | 60 | −7 | 0 | 9–12th place semifinals |
Source: IHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
| 25 April 2023 14:30 |
Cyprus
|
35–31 | Moldova
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 50 Referees: Doychinov, Goretsov (BUL) |
| Charalambous 10 | (19–13) | Vasilatii 10 | ||
| 2× 3×
|
Report | 5×
|
| 26 April 2023 14:30 |
Moldova
|
22–25 | Australia
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 70 Referees: Al-Enezi, Al-Naseem (KUW) |
| Martalog 6 | (9–13) | Langenberg 7 | ||
| 1× 5×
|
Report | 5×
|
| 27 April 2023 14:30 |
Cyprus
|
24–21 | Australia
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 63 Referees: Bozhinovski, Nachevski (MKD) |
| Charalambous 8 | (11–11) | Warrener 6 | ||
| 1×
|
Report | 1× 3×
|
Group C edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuba
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 45 | +14 | 4 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Great Britain
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 56 | 49 | +7 | 2 | 5–8th place semifinals |
| 3 | Guatemala
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 55 | −21 | 0 | 9–12th place semifinals |
Source: IHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
| 25 April 2023 16:45 |
Great Britain
|
28–32 | Cuba
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 120 Referees: Bozhinovski, Nachevski (MKD) |
| Vellenoweth 6 | (14–13) | Rodríguez 7 | ||
| 1× 3×
|
Report | 5×
|
| 26 April 2023 16:45 |
Cuba
|
27–17 | Guatemala
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 103 Referees: Araújo, Perdomo (URU) |
| Rodríguez 7 | (15–5) | Herrera, Martínez 4 | ||
| 1× 1×
|
Report | 2×
|
| 27 April 2023 16:45 |
Great Britain
|
28–17 | Guatemala
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 72 Referees: Al-Enezi, Al-Naseem (KUW) |
| Edgar, Pereira 8 | (16–6) | Cetino, Soto 4 | ||
| 5×
|
Report | 4×
|
Group D edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bulgaria (H)
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 4 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Nigeria
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 40 | +14 | 2 | 5–8th place semifinals |
| 3 | Azerbaijan
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 65 | −29 | 0 | 9–12th place semifinals |
Source: IHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) goal difference.
(H) Hosts
| 25 April 2023 19:00 |
Azerbaijan
|
19–30 | Bulgaria
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 488 Referees: Mikelič, Paradina (CRO) |
| Guliyev 6 | (9–14) | Sv. Dimitrov 7 | ||
| 1×
|
Report | 1× 2×
|
| 26 April 2023 19:00 |
Bulgaria
|
23–19 | Nigeria
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 250 Referees: Ismoilov, Ismoilov (UZB) |
| Ivanov 7 | (13–11) | F. Yusuf 6 | ||
| 1× 7× 1×
|
Report | 4× 1×
|
| 27 April 2023 19:00 |
Azerbaijan
|
17–35 | Nigeria
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 44 Referees: Linster, Rauchs (LUX) |
| Nazaraliyev 4 | (7–18) | F. Yusuf 13 | ||
| 2×
|
Report | 1×
|
Knockout stage edit
Bracket edit
| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| 29 April | ||||||
| India | 37 | |||||
| 30 April | ||||||
| Cyprus | 42 | |||||
| Cyprus | 18 | |||||
| 29 April | ||||||
| Cuba | 28 | |||||
| Cuba | 36 | |||||
| Bulgaria | 29 | |||||
| Third place | ||||||
| 30 April | ||||||
| India | 18 | |||||
| Bulgaria | 47 | |||||
- Fifth place bracket
| 5–8th place semifinals | Fifth place game | |||||
| 29 April | ||||||
| Andorra | 19 | |||||
| 30 April | ||||||
| Australia | 32 | |||||
| Australia | 22 | |||||
| 29 April | ||||||
| Great Britain | 34 | |||||
| Great Britain | 30 | |||||
| Nigeria | 20 | |||||
| Seventh place game | ||||||
| 30 April | ||||||
| Andorra | 14 | |||||
| Nigeria | 36 | |||||
- Ninth place bracket
| 9–12th place semifinals | Ninth place game | |||||
| 29 April | ||||||
| Malta | 21 | |||||
| 30 April | ||||||
| Moldova | 25 | |||||
| Moldova | 21 | |||||
| 29 April | ||||||
| Guatemala | 14 | |||||
| Guatemala | 28 | |||||
| Azerbaijan | 20 | |||||
| Eleventh place game | ||||||
| 30 April | ||||||
| Malta | 31 | |||||
| Azerbaijan | 20 | |||||
9–12th place semifinals edit
| 29 April 2023 09:15 |
Malta
|
21–25 | Moldova
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 50 Referees: Al-Enezi, Al-Naseem (KUW) |
| Seifert 6 | (9–12) | Martalog 10 | ||
| 2×
|
Report | 1× 3×
|
| 29 April 2023 11:30 |
Guatemala
|
28–20 | Azerbaijan
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 50 Referees: Linster, Rauchs (LUX) |
| Estrada 8 | (14–11) | Nazaraliyev 6 | ||
| 3×
|
Report | 3×
|
5–8th place semifinals edit
| 29 April 2023 13:45 |
Andorra
|
19–32 | Australia
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 65 Referees: Al-Wahibi, Al-Shahi (OMA) |
| Jiménez, Ruiz 5 | (4–13) | Anderson 8 | ||
| 1× 1×
|
Report | 1×
|
| 29 April 2023 16:00 |
Great Britain
|
30–20 | Nigeria
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 85 Referees: Araújo, Perdomo (URU) |
| Pereira 11 | (14–11) | S. Yusuf 4 | ||
| 1× 2×
|
Report | 3×
|
Semifinals edit
| 29 April 2023 18:15 |
Cuba
|
36–29 | Bulgaria
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 787 Referees: Mikelič, Paradina (CRO) |
| Rodríguez 9 | (17–16) | Ivanov 8 | ||
| 1× 3×
|
Report | 2× 2×
|
| 29 April 2023 20:30 |
India
|
37–42 | Cyprus
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 100 Referees: Ismoilov, Ismoilov (UZB) |
| S. Kumar 12 | (23–21) | Charalambous 10 | ||
| 5× 1×
|
Report | 1× 4×
|
Eleventh place game edit
| 30 April 2023 09:15 |
Malta
|
31–20 | Azerbaijan
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 50 Referees: Araújo, Perdomo (URU) |
| three players 5 | (15–9) | J. Ismayilov 5 | ||
| 2×
|
Report | 1× 2×
|
Ninth place game edit
| 30 April 2023 11:30 |
Moldova
|
21–14 | Guatemala
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 66 Referees: Mikelič, Paradina (CRO) |
| Sipulin 8 | (8–5) | Estrada 5 | ||
| 1× 3×
|
Report | 1× 3× 1×
|
Seventh place game edit
| 30 April 2023 13:45 |
Andorra
|
14–36 | Nigeria
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 74 Referees: Ismoilov, Ismoilov (UZB) |
| Ros 4 | (6–17) | Salami 9 | ||
| 3×
|
Report | 1× 1×
|
Fifth place game edit
| 30 April 2023 16:00 |
Australia
|
22–34 | Great Britain
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 50 Referees: Bozhinovski, Nachevski (MKD) |
| three players 4 | (10–17) | Pereira 11 | ||
| 4×
|
Report | 2×
|
Third place game edit
| 30 April 2023 18:15 |
India
|
18–47 | Bulgaria
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 514 Referees: Al-Wahibi, Al-Shahi (OMA) |
| Sahil 5 | (7–25) | Sv. Dimitrov 11 | ||
| Report |
Final edit
| 30 April 2023 20:30 |
Cyprus
|
18–28 | Cuba
|
Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna Attendance: 258 Referees: Doychinov, Goretsov (BUL) |
| Tartios 5 | (9–14) | Almeida 8 | ||
| 1×
|
Report | 2×
|
Final ranking edit
The three best European teams advance to the EURO 2026 Qualification Relegation Round, except Great Britain, which already qualified as Winner of Euro 2026 Qualification Phase 1.
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
 |
Cuba
|
 |
Cyprus
|
 |
Bulgaria
|
| 4 | India
|
| 5 | Great Britain
|
| 6 | Australia
|
| 7 | Nigeria
|
| 8 | Andorra
|
| 9 | Moldova
|
| 10 | Guatemala
|
| 11 | Malta
|
| 12 | Azerbaijan
|
| Team advanced to the Relegation Round of qualification for EURO 2026 | |
| Team already qualified to the Relegation Round of qualification for EURO 2026 (As winner of Euro 2026 Qualification Phase 1) |
All-Star Team edit
The all-star team and awards was announced on 30 April 2023.[5]
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Craig McClelland
|
| Right wing | Georgios Kritikos
|
| Right back | Sebastian Edgar
|
| Centre back | Alexandros Charalambous
|
| Left back | Mihael Ivanov
|
| Left wing | Sumit
|
| Pivot | Karl Warrener
|
| Best defender | Lidier Martínez
|
| Most valuable player | Hanser Rodríguez
|
Statistics edit
Top goalscorers edit
Source: IHF |
Top goalkeepers edit
Source: IHF |
References edit
- ^ "4th IHF Men's Emerging Nations Championship". ihf.info. 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Bulgaria seal back-to-back bronze medals at the IHF Men's Emerging Nations Championship". ihf.info. 30 April 2023.
- ^ "12 teams from six continents enter the 4th IHF Men's Emerging Nations Championship". ihf.info. 9 March 2023.
- ^ "Draw for the preliminary round reveals balanced groups at the 2023 IHF Men's Emerging Nations Championship". ihf.info. 10 March 2023.
- ^ "Bulgaria 2023 All-Star team announced". competition.ihf.info. 30 April 2023.