2011 Women’s World Championship, Qualification Europe
Qualification Europe for the 2011 Women’s World Championship took place between 30 November and 5 December 2010 between 17 national federations. It was carried out in four groups, and the four group winners will now play in the final knock-out stage of the qualification process, the Qualification Europe Play-Offs.
Group 1 (took place in Lublin, Poland)
In the only group with not four but five teams, Poland took advantage of their home soil and won the tournament. The decision came in their third game where they beat Austria and thus put those on rank two. The biggest sensation of the group was the national team of Great Britain that ended on a third place after beating Slovakia and Cyprus, ranked fourth and fifth.
Group 2 (took place in Drama, Greece)
FYR Macedonia clearly qualified with three straight victories. The draw between Azerbaijan and Switzerland, who in the end ranked on places two and three, in the very first game of the tournament opened the door for FYR Macedonians tournament victory. The host nation of Greece ended up on fourth place.
Group 3 (took place in Funchal, Portugal)
On the beautiful Island of Madeira, Turkey ended the qualification victorious with three straight wins. Second ranked Belarus lost against them by two goals in a thriller final game. Portugal and Finland missed the qualification with only one point each on the account, which they collected from the draw in the direct encounter.
Group 4 (took place in Oderzo, Italy)
The team of the Czech Republic were a class of their own and secured their Play-Off ticket with three clear victories. They beat hosts Italy, who ended on second rank. Also Lithuania and Bulgaria, ranked third and fourth, were beat with a high difference.
Further procedure of Qualification Europe
24 teams will compete in Brazil. Besides defending champions Russia and host Brazil, 11 places are reserved for the European Continental Federation.
Three tickets will be given to the best three teams at the EHF EURO 2010, that starts tomorrow and takes place between 7 and 19 December in Denmark and Norway (excluding Russia).
The remaining European eight places will be decided in the Qualification Europe play-off matches.
Participants will be Poland, FYR Macedonia, Turkey and the Czech Republic and twelve of the participating teams at the EHF EURO 2010 (all sixteen teams minus top three minus Russia).
The first leg matches of the play-off will be carried out on 4/5 June 2011 and the second leg matches on 11/12 June 2011.
The draw for the play-off will take place on 19 December 2010 in Herning, Denmark, at the occasion of the final weekend of the EHF EURO 2010.
The final tournament of the 2011 Women’s World Championship will take place between 3 and 18 December 2011 in Brazil.
Text: EHF
