The final of the 2026 Men’s EHF European Championship has shattered television records across Europe, as Denmark secured their third continental title with a 34-27 victory over Germany. The match, held on February 1st, drew massive audiences on free-to-air networks, particularly in the host nations and competing markets.
Germany: Highest Ratings in a Decade
In Germany, public broadcaster ZDF reported an astounding 12.82 million viewers, capturing a 50.8% market share. This marks the highest television rating for handball in Germany since the 2016 EHF Euro final. Despite the national team’s defeat, the “handball fever” remained at an all-time high, nearly matching the 12.98 million viewers who watched Germany’s victory over Spain ten years ago.
Denmark and Iceland: Unprecedented Engagement
Host nation Denmark saw more than 2 million viewers tune in to TV2 for the final moments of the game, with an average audience of 1.77 million and a staggering 85% market share.
However, the most remarkable figures came from Iceland. Broadcaster RÚV reported that the semi-final against Denmark reached a 66.4% average viewership—the highest ever recorded for any sporting event in the country’s history. This even surpassed the legendary Iceland vs. Argentina football match from the 2018 World Cup.
Bronze Medal Success
The bronze medal match between Croatia and Iceland also performed exceptionally well. In Croatia, 1.2 million viewers watched on RTL as their team secured a 34-33 victory. The match achieved a 60% market share among the key 18-59 age demographic.
Martin Hausleitner, EHF Secretary General, commented on the results: “These figures are spectacular and underline the growing appeal of our sport. An EHF Euro followed by millions is the perfect base for the future growth of handball in Europe.”