HUN

Hungary have constantly been one of the top teams in the younger-age categories over the last six years and they will definitely start the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth (U18) World Championship as one of the favourites for the gold medal, after claiming gold at the W17 EHF EURO 2021.

The catch is that their group in the preliminary round is the most balanced in the competition. Facing France, Argentina and Spain is surely not what Hungary were envisioning to start the competition, but it will also set the tone for the rest of the competition, as such opponents will only harden the determination of the silver medallists from 2018.

Since the first edition of the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship they took part in, 12 years ago, Hungary have been on an upward trend, bar an anomaly at North Macedonia 2014, when they were 15th. Coming back to the same venues, they will look to improve on that result and finally win the gold medal that has been evading them for some time.

Coming in as the winners of the W17 EHF EURO 2021, however, Hungary have a target on their backs. They will rely on the MVP of the 2021 tournament, centre back Julia Farkas, who has been outstanding in that position. If Hungary aim to win the trophy, it will definitely be one of the greatest rides in the history of the competition, facing tough opponents from the preliminary round all the way to the final.


Key players: Julia Farkas (centre back), Klara Zaj (goalkeeper), Liliana Csernyanszki (centre back)

Qualification for North Macedonia 2022: W17 EHF EURO 2021 – 1st place

History in tournament: 2010: 11th, 2012: 5th, 2014: 15th, 2016: 5th, 2018: 2nd 

Group at North Macedonia 2022: Group H (Hungary, France, Argentina, Spain)