Bid Book DenmarkSwitzerland

A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP Denmark+Switzerland

MEN’S EHF EURO 2022/2024

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Contents 1. VISION

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2. ABOUT THE HOSTS

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3. MATCH SCHEDULE

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4. COMPETITION ARENAS DENMARK

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5. COMPETITION ARENA SWITZERLAND

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6. ACCOMMODATION

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7. TRANSPORT

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8. EVENT PRODUCTION

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9. PROMOTION AND MARKETING

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10. SPECTATORS’ MANAGEMENT

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COMMITTED TO A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

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ENCLOSURES

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1. Vision A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP FOR OUR SPORT

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enmark+Switzerland symbolise a perfect partnership for the EHF EURO 2022/2024 and for European Handball.

Showcasing the strength of small nations coming together, the EURO 2022/2024 can count on their combined handball expertise and their ambitious drive for hosting EHF’s flagship event in a new way.

Denmark+Switzerland offer vast experience in organising major sport events. With state-of-theart accommodation, transport, marketing solutions and trusted services EHF is guaranteed high quality delivery in all aspects of the event.

For European Handball, Denmark+Switzerland will showcase a new hosting model, opening up new opportunities for smaller nations. Nowhere else will European Handball have a bigger opportunity to expand and inspire than with this perfect partnership.

With Denmark+Switzerland, the Men’s EHF EURO 2022 or 2024 will ignite a new era driving new and sustainable hosting aspirations for all European Handball nations big and, especially, small.

This section serves as our submission for Enclosure 14: Strategies and Ideas

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2. About the hosts

DENMARK+SWITZERLAND 2022/2024 = A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP! Denmark

Switzerland

Denmark has one of the strongest economies in Europe that is built on a high-tech agricultural sector, advanced industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping and renewable energy, and foreign trade. Danes enjoy a high standard of living and with its extensive government welfare measures, Denmark ranks as having the world’s highest level of income equality.

Ranking first in the Global Competitiveness Index Switzerland’s economy is one of the most stable economies in the world. The main sectors include microtechnology, hitech, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, Switzerland is currently the leading nation in innovation for the seventh year in a row.

Danes love sport. Despite the country’s modest size, Danish sport has achieved excellent results internationally in a variety of disciplines. The Danish population not only follows the nation’s top athletes from the grandstand or in front of the TV, but approximately three out of four children and young people in Denmark engage in sport regularly. And almost half of the adult population is engaged in sport and exercise.

Sport is rooted in Swiss culture. Nearly 7 out of 10 Swiss engage in sports regularly, with three out of four children aged 10 to 19 years old practicing sport between 3 to 7 hours weekly. Switzerland is also a trusted host of major events. Due to the high importance of tourism Switzerland is used to welcoming guests from around the world in different areas, e.g. sports, culture, business and science. This includes major sports events such as Gymnastics European Championships 2016 and FIS World Alpine Skiing Championships 2017 and annual major competitions in tennis, athletics and skiing.

Denmark is a small country situated in Northern Europe, between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The country covers an area of 43,000 km² and is made up of the Jutland peninsula and over 400 islands. Denmark shares a border with Germany to the south and has otherwise more than 7,300 km of coastline. The population is approximately 5.5 million.

You can find out more about Denmark on www.visitdenmark.com.

Located at the heart of Western Europe, Switzerland is a landlocked alpine country spanning an area of 41,285 km2. With 8 million people, hereof 25 % foreigners, the Swiss population is concentrated mostly in urban areas, the two biggest of which being global cities and economic centers: Zurich and Geneva.

You can find out more about Switzerland on www.myswitzerland.com.

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Denmark and Switzerland consistently rank among “the happiest countries in the world” in the UN’s World Happiness Report, based on standards of health, welfare and education. The red and white happiness factor is also stated in the newest “World Happiness Report”, where Denmark is placed second and Switzerland fourth.

TWO GATEWAYS FOR UNITING EUROPEAN HANDBALL

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Danish Handball

The Danish Handball Association, DHF, was founded in 1935 and has been a prominent member of the European handball family. Nationwide, DHF organises handball-schools for children and our “Handballcaravan” meets the kids in their local community. In summer a rapidly increasing number of young people have great fun playing beachhandball in the sands of the beautiful coastline of Denmark.

In Denmark, 120,000 people play handball and when the big matches from e.g. EHF EUROs are transmitted on Danish television approximately two million people of a population of five and a half million are watching – i.e. 40 per cent.

For European Handball, Denmark+Switzerland will showcase a new hosting model, opening up new opportunities for smaller nations. Nowhere else will European Handball have a bigger opportunity to expand and inspire than with this perfect partnership. With Denmark+Switzerland, the Men’s EHF EURO 2022/2024 will ignite a new era driving sustainable hosting aspirations for all European handball nations big and, especially, small.

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Swiss Handball

The Swiss Handball Federation, SHF, was founded in 1974 and counts around 25,000 active players.

Handball is the number one sport in Switzerland among the indoor team sports and behind only football and ice hockey the fastest developing team sport. Handball has the most passionate fans in the country who travel all over the country to attend matches of their clubs.

Lately the federation has centralised all federation services in one big headquater in Olten in order to be a stronger and better prepared organisation for the future.

To further grow the number of participants, several promotional activities have been launched. The biggest among them Handball fait Ecole (HfE) is a programme offering handball classes to over 25,000 school children all over Switzerland.

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EURO 2022/2024 Host Cities Zurich

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland with 400,000 inhabitants. The city is located at the Zurich Lake, surrounded by several mountain ranges in the German speaking part of the country. The city is the most important business location in Switzerland as well as an economic and scientific centre.

Zurich has been awarded “city with the world’s best quality of life” 7 consecutive times by Mercer research. With its culture, nature and urban-style living, it is a small paradise in the middle of Europe.

Guests very much appreciate the amazing cultural and gastronomic diversity of the city – and the many opportunities for enjoyment, recreation and relaxation for all the senses such as Streetparade, the annual colourful house and techno parade with 1 million guests from all over the world.

The Zurich Tourism Convention Bureau will be a trusted partner in the event.

Proposed venue in Zurich is Hallenstadion Zurich.

For more details on the venues (host cities), please refer to Enclosure 4.

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Copenhagen

Denmark’s capital has a population of around 1.9 million; the Ă˜resund Region as a whole has a total population of 3.7 million. Copenhagen is a metropolis boasting fantastic culture, dining experiences and high standard accommodation offerings.

The City of Copenhagen is one of Europe’s leading event cities. The city possesses the unique ability of knowing how to merge big events into its city culture. The EHF EURO will be organised in close collaboration with Wonderful Copenhagen (the official convention, event and tourism organisation for Copenhagen) and the Capital Region of Denmark.

Proposed venue in Copenhagen is the new Royal Arena.

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Aarhus

Aarhus is situated beautifully on the coast of Jutland with easy access to beach, forests and the sea. It is Denmark’s second largest city and 1.5 million people are within an hour’s drive.

The history of Aarhus extends back more than a thousand years to the Viking Age when the city was founded as an open trading station at the mouth of the local river. Aarhus is a lively city bustling with energy and innovation as well as a sense of history.

Major attractions in Aarhus include the old Latin Quarter with Aarhus Cathedral and Aarhus Canal, ARoS – the Aarhus Museum of Modern Art, the Old Town – an open-air old town museum, Aarhus City Hall and Tivoli – a big amusement park in the city.

Prososed venue in Aarhus is Ceres Arena.

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Herning

Herning has 60,000 inhabitants. The City of Herning has an impressive track record in relation to hosting international events, including the 2013 European Short Course Swimming Championships and the 2014 European Men’s Handball Championship. In Denmark, Herning is known as a textile town and for its trade fairs, conferences, culture and concerts.

Herning is the home of Denmark’s largest indoor arena, Jyske Bank Boxen at MCH.

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3. Match ­Schedule

A SMOOTHLY INTEGRATED MATCH SCHEDULE

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ith Denmark and Switzerland having hosted numerous major international sports events in recent years, these two very experienced hosts have united to create a unique and exciting plan for European Handball. The Men’s EHF EURO 2022/2024 journey will take the European Handball family across two of the happiest, safest and well developed countries in Europe.

Men’s EHF EURO 2022/2024 – Denmark+Switzerland Playing Schedule Prelimnary Round

14 Jan 22 / 12 Jan 24

Group A Herning

Group B Aarhus

Group C Copenhagen

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

15 Jan 22 / 13 Jan 24 16 Jan 22 / 14 Jan 24

2 matches

2 matches

19 Jan 22 / 17 Jan 24 Main Round 20 Jan 22 / 18 Jan 24

2 matches

2 matches

Group E Zurich

Group F Zurich

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

2 matches

17 Jan 22 / 15 Jan 24 18 Jan 22 / 16 Jan 24

Group D Copenhagen

2 matches

Departure teams ending 3 and 4 Group I / Herning

Group II / Zurich

3 matches

Departure teams ending 3 and 4

21 Jan 22 / 19 Jan 24 22 Jan 22 / 20 Jan 24

3 matches 3 matches

23 Jan 22 / 21 Jan 24 24 Jan 22 / 22 Jan 24

3 matches 3 matches

25 Jan 22 / 23 Jan 24 26 Jan 22 / 24 Jan 24

3 matches 3 matches

3 matches

27 Jan 22 / 25 Jan 24

Rest day

Semifinals/Placement match

Herning

28 Jan 22 / 26 Jan 24

3 matches

29 Jan 22 / 27 Jan 24

Rest day

Finals

Herning

30 Jan 22 / 28 Jan 24

2 matches

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4. Venues Denmark

HANDBALL TAILORED STATE-OF-THE-ART VENUES For more details on the arenas, please refer to Enclosures 5, 6 and 7.

Royal Arena, Copenhagen

The new state-of-the-art multi-purpose Royal Arena in Copenhagen opened in February 2017. With a spectator capacity of up to 14,000, and a floor area of up to 35,000 square metres this arena is of the highest international standard for music, cultural and sporting events. Royal Arena stands out as an architectural landmark with its iconic and Nordic architecture – offering the best possible standards for the championships.

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Jyske Bank Boxen at MCH, Herning

Jyske Bank Boxen at MCH has the capacity to hold 15,000 spectators for handball. For the EHF EURO 2022/ 2024, Denmark+Switzerland are committed to exploring the possibility of building temporary stands which would ensure 3,000 more spectators, bringing the total to 18,000. With an impressive 28,000 square metres, it is designed to host a huge variety of events such as sports, concerts, shows and entertainment with world class service and VIP facilities. Jyske Bank Boxen has previously hosted international handball championships in 2010, 2014 and 2015.

Ceres Arena, Aarhus

Ceres Arena was built in 2001 as part of the impressive sports complex, Aarhus Atletion. The arena has a spectator capacity of 5,000 and is within walking distance of the city centre.

Since the opening the arena has had the opportunity to host many spectacular events, e.g. the European Women’s Handball Championships 2002 & 2010, the European Championship in table tennis in 2005, Team Gym European Championships 2012 and the European Men’s Handball Championships 2014 to mention a few.

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5. Venue Switzerland AN ICONIC ARENA FOR HANDBALL Hallenstadion Zurich

Hallenstadion Zurich is a multifunctional arena which was built in 1939 and renovated and expanded in 2005. The arena is the largest arena in Switzerland with a capacity of up to 15,000 spectators and 14,300 square metres.

Hallenstadion Zurich is a popular venue for big concerts, cultural and sports events. It has hosted the World Ice Hockey Championships and a sold out final weekend of EHF EURO 2006 among others, and is part of a modern congress centre.

For more details on the Arenas, please refer to Enclosures 5, 6 and 7.

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6.

Accommodation STYLISH FIRST-CLASS ACCOMMODATION

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ll spectators, athletes, officials and media will be accommodated for with care and consideration.

We want to offer flexibility and quality to all those coming to the EHF EURO and therefore offer a wide range of accommodation.

First class hotels located in and around each of the proposed venue cities have already been designated as EHF EURO hotels, and will cater for players, officials, staff and the EHF family in the best possible way.

For each participating team, we offer tailor-made solutions that cater exactly to the needs of each team.

For more details on hotels, please refer to Enclosure 9.

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7. Transport EASY AND CONVENIENT TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS

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he compactness of both Denmark and Switzerland, along with their central location in Europe makes getting to the EHF EURO 2022/2024 incredibly easy and convenient for all.

International Airports

Copenhagen International Airport attracts more than 20 million passengers a year. The airport is one of Europe’s busiest with non-stop flights to and from 165 destinations all over the world.

Billund International Airport, the international airport close to Herning and Aarhus offers both ordinary air traffic as well as budget flights and thereby cheap access to more than 90 international destinations.

The airport of Zurich is a quality airport in the heart of Europe. Receiving a variety of awards in many different categories, including Europe’s Leading Airport and Best Airport for Baggage Delivery. The airport attracts more than 27 million passengers a year with non-stop flights to and from 178 international destinations.

Public Transport and Highways

All host cities in Denmark and Switzerland are well connected by public transport. The Swiss and Danish railways boast some of the most advanced trains in the world connecting venues within short and regular time units.

Fans and other visitors can also use the excellent public and private transport systems each leading directly to each host city.

A rich network of highly maintained highways makes it easy to reach the host cities and to get from the airports to the hotels and venues.

VIP transportation

There will be luxurious and exclusive cars and mini vans for transportation of EHF representatives, including different categories of transportation for the EHF President, selected EHF representatives and VIPs.

Transportation of teams

Each team will travel by separate bus and detailed transport plans will be made to accommodate the teams’ training and match times as well as their flight plans in respect of their arrival and departure. The plans are made so that the teams are guaranteed smooth and hassle-free journeys between venues.

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8. Event Production CREATING A UNIQUE ATMOSPHERE

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ith our vast experience in organising major sports events, our host experience in handball and ambitions, Denmark+Switzerland will be able to host an outstanding EURO and create an enhanced and truly unique atmosphere at the event.

The main pillars of the event production concept include hospitality programmes, side events and city activities, as well as Handball development activities.

Hospitality programmes

The partnership between Denmark and Switzerland will make for a unique hospitality offering, building on trusted services and world-class guest experiences.

Partners, guests and spectators will feel welcome wherever they go.

City activities and side events

City activities will be organised both prior to the EURO to create excitement about the event and during the event to create a buzzing atmosphere in and around the venues. These activities will be organised in close cooperation with city officials, tourist agencies and other local partners.

In close cooperation with the host cities and partners, fan zones will be established where fans can meet and be entertained in the form of activities, shops and cafés before and after the matches and have the possibility of meeting the handball stars “live”.

Side events organised during the EURO will offer spectators from Denmark, Switzerland and all around Europe a unique atmosphere and experience before and after matches.

Handball development activities

The EURO 2022/2024 is a great opportunity for organising activities to support European handball nations in their development. With two small nations teaming up, Denmark+Switzerland will showcase a new hosting model. This is why we want to offer within the EHF framework a unique hosting programme where we will share our knowledge and experience in hosting events to all nations – especially smaller ones – to ensure all European nations will benefit from our perfect partnership. With our open and friendly style we will welcome and inspire not only new European handball fans but inspire a new generation of handball hosts.

This section serves as our submission for Enclosure 17: Event production.

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9. Promotion and Marketing REACHING FANS ALL OVER EUROPE As frontrunners in digital technologies and innovation Denmark+Switzerland are able to offer new fan engagement opportunities, opening up to new fans from all of Europe.

The handball culture in Denmark is strong and quite unique being part of the daily lives and routines of young and old alike. Switzerland is ready and keen again to host the EHF EURO after being awarded to be a host last time in 2006. Together Denmark+Switzerland aim at attracting the largest possible number of fans to the event and offer an unparalleled experience full of interaction through online platforms and high tech solutions.

To ensure complete exposure of the event and in order to attract the largest possible number of partners and sponsors to participate and support the EURO and handball in general, we will carry out an ambitious marketing plan based on a strong promotion and communication platform.

A dedicated and experienced marketing unit

With Denmark a gate to the north and Switzerland to the south, the EHF EURO 2022/2024 will be able to expand the reach of the event throughout Europe.

Through a dedicated marketing and commercial unit, we want to attract fans and support from all over Europe and guarantee the unparalleled handball atmosphere at every match.

Building on Denmark+Switzerland’s event experience, our marketing plan will focus on making the EURO 2022/2024 a truly international event and that involves the promotion of the event, including developing strong relationships with partners and a solid ticket sales plan targeted at local, regional and international fans.

Through a centralised event website it will be possible to buy tickets and promotional packages online. We want to be able to ensure that every seat is filled at every match. Furthermore, with the input from

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our team of marketing experts, we will produce a magnificent sales prospect to send out to potential sponsors and partners, ensuring a fully supported EURO.

Partnerships

The hosts of national handball events and clubs in Denmark and Switzerland will be invited to join a promotional framework aimed at creating awareness of the EURO. Our goal is to be as inclusive as possible and to ensure that the event gains as much domestic attention as possible both within the handball community and beyond.

Communication plan

Our promotion and marketing plan also deals with an intricate and well-developed communication plan.

Here we are certain to not only reach our target audiences but also to open new streams of handball spectators from all over Europe and position our promotional plan for the event to a large audience.

The plan will be built around two main areas: • Handball Events To truly capitalise on the EHF EURO, the organising committee will focus on activation of handball driven events such as development and grassroots events before, during and after the event. • Social platforms In promoting the event we will actively use existing social platforms such as Twitter, Youtube, Snapchat and Facebook, and any other social sites that will be available in order to create a hype about the EURO. Players and spectators can join the groups, share experiences, engage in debates and publish photos. In that way the EHF EURO will have an extended life for a long period and the use of social media will make the EURO become more than just an event.

We will use different countdown mechanisms and we will have the event under the patronage of local stars within sports, politics, culture etc.

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Dedicated mobile apps will be developed so that spectators and fans have all information about the event at their fingertips and can engage with the organisers and connect with fans from all over Europe.

With the support of the two National Teams and profile players, we will coordinate the exciting launch of the campaign with the respective cities to ensure a successful lead-up to the event and gather young spectator initiatives right from the start.

City dressing

A city dressing plan will be made in close cooperation with the host cities. Building on our hosting experience we will ensure the cities fully embrace the

EHF EURO in 2022/2024 and show off the event branding at points of arrival, main access roads, city centre and other primary points of contact.

Media management

Denmark+Switzerland are committed to offer the highest service-level to the members of the media, ensuring maximum promotion of the EHF EURO 2022/2024. In the lead-up to the event, Denmark+Switzerland will foster close relationships with key media and are committed to offering the trusted high quality service both countries are known for. During the event, all media-dedicated centres will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and information services.

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Television

Denmark+Switzerland are fully aware and supportive of the EHF TV requirements.

With national TV stations and broadcasters SRG and TV2 we have two of the best sports production and TV channels in Europe. Both broadcasters have been awarded for their high quality sports TV productions.

For more details on media management, please refer to Enclosure 8.

This section serves as our submission for Enclosure 13: promotion and marketing.

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10. Spectators’ Management TAKING FAN ENGAGEMENT TO A NEW LEVEL As frontrunners in digital technologies and innovation Denmark+Switzerland will take fan engagement to a new level, bringing the action to the spectators.

We will present spectators and guests with entertaining and informative services, using the latest innovative hosting tactics to ensure an engaging event.

Ticketing

To start the official launch of ticket sales, a range of special events will be organised, both live and through various digital media platforms. Tickets will be available online, as will any promotional packages for all international guests – all easily accessible through the event website and online social communities.

For the international ticket sale we will identify potential partners that will be able to promote the event through their channels and assist fans from abroad with easy access to Denmark and Switzerland and the matches. Working with tourism organisations in Denmark and Switzerland, the OC will create packages that will fit the different markets. Special packages including transportation, hotel and matches will be created to attract audiences from all around Europe.

School programmes

To create buzz among the local populations in the host countries, we want to initiate programmes with schools. By engaging with local schools, anticipation for the event will be built among the youth through various activities including essay writing, sport and non-sport contests and other special offers to gain free entry to the matches. The programmes will be inspired by successful existing Danish and Swiss programmes and will be adapted to create the best programmes in both host countries.

Fan zones

In close cooperation with the host cities and partners, fan zones will be established in connection with the venues where fans can meet and be entertained in the form of activities, shops and cafés before and after the matches and have the possibility of meeting the handball stars “live”.

Besides the above mentioned activities there will of course be a massive media and press exposure from the Danish and Swiss Handball Associations. The word of the great event will reach as far as possible. With all these targeted activities in place, our aim is to ensure a massive attendance turnout.

This section serves as our submission for Enclosure 12: Spectators management.

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Committed to a Perfect Partnership “The future of our sport lies in all our members, big and small. The Danish Handball Association is committed to ensuring the further expansion of our sport throughout Europe; by hosting the Men’s EHF EURO 2022/2024 together with Switzerland we strongly believe that this is a unique opportunity to lead the European Handball family into a new era.”

Per Bertelsen, President - Danish Handball Association

“We are very proud to partner with Denmark in hosting the Men’s EHF EURO 2022/24.We are confident that with our combined experience in organising major sport events we will deliver a fantastic handball championship, setting the standards of the future. Denmark + Switzerland = Perfect Partnership for Handball in our countries and throughout Europe”.

Ulrich Rubeli, President - Swiss Handball Federation

“You can be assured of not only my Government’s full support, but also of my personal promise to ensure that the EHF EURO 2022/2024 for Men will be guaranteed the stature and commitment that such an important event deserves.”

“Zurich is a city of sports and has a long tradition in handball. The City Council of Zurich therefore greatly appreciates the initiative of the Swiss Handball Federation to submit its candidacy to host the EHF EURO 2022 or 2024.”

Mette Bock, Minister for Culture, Denmark

Corine Mauch, Mayor of Zurich, Switzerland

For more letters of support please refer to Enclosure 10

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