Handball Länderspiel GER-DEN

In the organizer's words:

Germany against Denmark in the 2024 Olympic final, in the 2026 EHF EURO final: this match has long had the makings of a handball classic. On Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 3.30 pm, these two national teams will meet again - and at a venue full of charisma. The LANXESS arena Cologne will be the stage for the teams of national coach Alfred Gislason and Denmark's head coach Nikolaj Jacobsen. The venue is special because the upcoming World Championship will also end there on January 31, 2027 and host Germany could then once again challenge Denmark as the world champions of 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025.

"We are delighted to be able to offer our fans such a thrilling event in Cologne," said Mark Schober, CEO of the German Handball Federation. "This is an additional chance to experience the German national team in the cathedral of handball, as there is currently hardly any capacity left at the World Cup next January due to the high demand. The early start to the match on Sunday afternoon is also a very good offer, especially for families. There is also world-class handball. We hope we have hit a nerve with this."

"When the German national handball team meets a top team like Denmark in Cologne, it's a sporting highlight with absolute appeal. Such international matches are not only a treat for every handball fan, but also an important milestone on the way to the 2027 Handball World Championship," says Stefan Löcher, Managing Director of the LANXESS arena. "The fact that we can already experience a top-class duel in our arena as part of this 'Road to Cologne' underlines the special role that Cologne plays in international handball. In January 2027, the handball world will once again be looking to the Rhine when the LANXESS arena becomes the heart of the World Cup with a main round and the final round. We are therefore all the more delighted to be actively embarking on this journey together with the German Handball Federation. We would like to express our sincere thanks for the trust placed in us and look forward to a real handball festival in May."

The LANXESS arena in Cologne, the venue for the Final 4 tournaments of the Champions League and the DHB Cup, is a special place for the German national handball team. After legendary matches against Spain and France, the World Championship winter fairytale ended here on February 4, 2007 with a 28:22 victory over Poland in the final. After the 2019 World Cup, this was also the venue for the 2024 European Championship, when Germany and Denmark faced each other in the semi-finals - the team of national coach Alfred Gislason only narrowly lost 26:29.

Looking to the future, the next chapter has already been decided: as part of the 2027 IHF Handball World Championship, the LANXESS arena will host matches in the main round and the final weekend. This will once again put Cologne at the center of the international handball stage.