The Swiss women's national handball team lost a Euro 2026 qualifier on Wednesday against the Netherlands, the world's fourth-ranked team. Despite an early lead, the hosts were defeated 23:31. The Swiss team struggled with squad issues and injuries to key players. Despite the loss, Switzerland remains in a good position in the group and has a strong chance of advancing to the main tournament.

Defeat Against World Number Four

The Swiss team lost in St. Gallen to the Netherlands, which holds fourth place in the IHF world ranking, with a score of 23:31. The match was part of the Euro 2026 qualifiers.

Strong Start by the Hosts

The Swiss team started the match with a 3:1 lead and maintained the advantage until the 11th minute. However, the Dutch team recovered and led 17:13 by halftime.

Squad Problems and Injuries

Switzerland played without several key players, including captain Lena Gautschi and Amy Huser and Kelly Huser. The team had to cope with limited rotation options.

Good Position in the Group

Despite the loss, Switzerland holds second place in Group 4, ahead of Portugal and behind the Netherlands. Two matches remain, against Portugal and Israel, which could secure qualification.

The Swiss women's national handball team lost a Euro 2026 qualifier on Wednesday evening in St. Gallen against the Netherlands, the world's fourth-ranked team. The hosts started the match strongly, leading 3:1 in the opening minutes and maintaining the advantage until around the 11th minute. However, the Dutch team, led by experienced coach Per Johansson, gradually took control of the match and led 17:13 at halftime. After the break, the visitors continued their dominance, ultimately winning 31:23.

Women's handball has been developing in Switzerland since the 1970s, and the national team first qualified for the World Championships in 1997. The greatest success of the Swiss women's handball team is fifth place at the 2020 European Championships, which remains their best historical result to this day. The Swiss team faced numerous squad problems before and during the match. Key players were absent, including captain Lena Gautschi and sisters Amy and Kelly Huser. These absences forced coach Martin Muller to play with limited rotation, which in the longer term affected the team's fitness and effectiveness. Despite the loss, Switzerland remains in a favorable position in Group 4 of the qualifiers. After two wins against Israel and a loss to the Netherlands, the Swiss team is in second place with four points, behind the leading Dutch team (6 points) but ahead of Portugal (0 points). In the coming weeks, the team will play two more matches: on Saturday against Portugal in Kreuzlingen and next week against Israel. The top two teams from each group qualify, and Switzerland has a realistic chance of advancing to the main tournament, which will be held in December 2026 in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

Euro 2026 Qualifier Match Result: Szwajcaria 23:31 Holandia

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Euro 2026 Qualifiers Group 4 Standings (after 3rd round): 1. Holandia — 6 pts; 2. Szwajcaria — 4 pts; 3. Portugalia — 0 pts; 4. Izrael — 0 pts

Mentioned People

  • Lena Gautschi — captain of the Swiss national team, absent due to injury
  • Amy Huser — key player for the Swiss national team, absent due to injury
  • Kelly Huser — key player for the Swiss national team, absent due to injury
  • Martin Muller — coach of the Swiss women's national handball team
  • Per Johansson — coach of the Dutch women's national handball team