Denmark and Norway top senior and YAC four-year rankings

SENIOR FOUR-YEAR NATIONAL TEAM RANKINGS

The podium for the men’s ranking remains the same as last year, with reigning European and world champions Denmark occupying first place, on 118 points, followed by France in second (94) and Germany in third (91).

Winning silver at the 2025 IHF World Championship and bronze at the Men’s EHF EURO 2026 has propelled Croatia to fourth, one place higher than in the previous rankings, while Portugal have gone two places up to sit on fifth, after getting their best-ever finishes at the 2025 World Championship (fourth) and the EHF EURO 2026 (fifth). 

Slovenia are the only new entry among the top 10 men’s teams, surpassing Spain to clinch 10th place.

EHF men’s four-year national team ranking 2023-26:

1. Denmark – 118 points (–)
2. France – 94 points (–)
3. Germany – 91 points (–)
4. Croatia – 86 points (+1)
5. Portugal – 76.5 points (+2)
6. Sweden – 69 points (-2)
7. Iceland – 66 points (+2)
8. Hungary – 65 points (-2)
9. Norway – 61 points (-1)
10. Slovenia – 57 points (+1)

Current European and world champions on the women’s side, Norway lead the rankings with 118 points as well, 20 more than Denmark (98), who have surpassed France by one point (97) to claim second place. 

Germany have enjoyed one of the most notable improvements after celebrating silver at the 2025 World Championship, and are currently placing fourth (85) — compared to sixth in the previous rankings — ahead of the Netherlands on fifth (83).

Romania and Poland have also made their way up to the top 10, surpassing Slovenia and Spain.

EHF women’s four-year national team ranking 2022-25:

1. Norway – 118 points (–)
2. Denmark – 98 points (+1)
3. France – 97 points (-1)
4. Germany – 85 points (+2)
5. Netherlands – 83 points (–)
6. Hungary – 73 points (+1)
7. Montenegro – 72 points (+1)
8. Sweden – 68 points (-4)
9. Romania – 50 points (+2)
10. Poland – 47.5 points (+2)

The rankings for both genders take into account the last two European and last two World Championships.

YAC FOUR-YEAR NATIONAL TEAM RANKINGS

The gaps are tighter in the men’s YAC four-year national team rankings, with Denmark on top, while Germany are just 3.5 points behind, in second place. The two sides met at the Men’s 20 EHF EURO 2024, when Denmark defeated Germany to claim the bronze medal. 

EHF men’s YAC four-year national team ranking 2022-25:

1. Denmark – 106.5 points
2. Germany – 103 points
3. Spain – 100 points
4. Sweden – 95.75 points
5. Portugal – 86.5 points
6. Hungary – 80 points
7. Iceland – 75.25 points
8. Norway – 74 points
9. Serbia – 64.75 points
10. Faroe Islands – 63.5 points

In the women’s YAC rankings, Denmark lead with 105.5 points, following a series of successes such as clinching W17 EHF EURO 2023 silver, as well as silver and bronze at the W19 EHF EURO in 2023 and 2025, respectively. Hungary follow closely with 101.5 points, while France complete the podium (95.75).

EHF women’s YAC four-year national team ranking 2022-25:

1. Denmark – 105.5 points
2. Hungary – 101.5 points
3. France – 95.75 points
4. Germany – 84.5 points
5. Spain – 74.25 points
6. Montenegro – 73.25 points
7. Sweden – 71 points
8. Netherlands – 70 points
9. Croatia – 67.5 points
10. Switzerland – 64.25 points

To give the more recent results a bigger impact on the current rankings, the points earned at the two oldest events count for only 50 per cent (2023 and 2024 for the men’s senior teams, 2022 and 2023 for the other three rankings), and the points from the two newest events count for 100 per cent. The total number of points for each nation is then divided by four.

If two nations have the same number of points, the result from the most recent year decides their position in the ranking.

The full EHF four-year national team rankings are available for download below.

Photos © kolketiff images (main & in-text), Slovenian Handball Federation (YAC in-text)