Germany fell to Denmark 34‑27 in the final of the 2026 European men’s handball championship. The match was competitive from the start, but Denmark proved the stronger side. Mathias Gidsel was one of the standout performers, scoring his 68th goal of the tournament. Germany stayed in the game early on, but a red card for Jannik Kohlbacher and several two‑minute penalties swung momentum away from them.
In the first half, Germany’s solid defense and goalkeeper Andreas Wolff’s clutch saves kept the scoreline close. At halftime Denmark held an 18‑16 lead. During the second half, Denmark steadily extended their advantage. Despite flashes of quality from the German side-including goals from Marko Grgic and Nils Lichtlein-the team could not significantly close the gap.
Denmark secured its first European title since 2012, while Germany finished as runners‑up after a strong overall tournament that had begun with a mixed group‑stage performance. Danish coach Nikolaj Jacobsen praised his team’s improvement and was satisfied with their final triumph.
