Under a memorandum of understanding signed with the Romanian Handball Federation (FRH), Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca UBB is partnering to host the “MEN’S 20 EHF EURO 2026” European Men’s Youth Handball Championship – one of Europe’s premier sporting events dedicated to youth handball.
Under the agreement, from 1-20 July 2026, participating teams will have access to the sports facilities at UBB’s Iuliu Hațieganu University Sports Complex for official training sessions, in accordance with a schedule established jointly by the organisers and university representatives.
Organised under the auspices of the European Handball Federation (EHF), the MEN’S 20 EHF EURO 2026 tournament will take place from 8-19 July 2026 in Cluj-Napoca and Turda. Bringing together 24 of Europe’s top under-20 (U20) national teams, the tournament also serves as the qualifying competition for the 2027 Men’s U21 World Championship.
The Gheorghe Roman Gymnasium, located at UBB’s Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, was selected as an official training venue due to its high standards, which fully comply with the regulations of international competitions.
“Babeș-Bolyai University promotes excellence across all its areas of activity: education, research, innovation, culture, and sport, embracing not only the mission of fostering excellence but also the responsibility to actively contribute to community development by supporting major cultural and sporting projects. We have been partners in the FC Universitatea Cluj project from the very beginning, supporting the team from its days in the lower leagues through to its current achievements; we have participated as partners or even organisers in major national and international sporting projects; and now we are delighted to contribute to hosting the European Men’s Youth Handball Championship. Such collaborations strengthen our university’s global profile and demonstrate that investments in university infrastructure bring real benefits to the entire community,” states the Rector of UBB, professor Daniel David, PhD.
Supporting the MEN’S 20 EHF EURO 2026 European Men’s Youth Handball Championship aligns with Babeș-Bolyai University’s strategy to promote university and elite sport, while leveraging its sporting infrastructure for the benefit of both the local and international communities.
The Iuliu Hațieganu University Sports Complex is one of the premier university sports facilities in Romania. It serves as a vital hub for teaching and research in physical education and sport, while regularly hosting national and international competitions, training camps, and elite sporting events.
Tradition and Excellence with Culture-Science-Innovation since 1581
Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca (UBB) is the university with the most complex academic profile in the country (by its number of programmes and multicultural profile featuring three official academic languages: Romanian, Hungarian, and German), and with the oldest academic tradition in Romania (established 445 years ago – 1581), accounting for the largest academic community in the country (with a staff of more than 55,000 people, from 15 cities and 12 counties). Ever since its establishment, UBB has been one of the most prestigious and influential universities in Romania; for several years now, UBB has consistently ranked among the top 5% of the world’s universities (out of approximately 30,000), with an advanced academic infrastructure (e.g. RDI units integrated into European networks, up-to-date teaching laboratories integrating virtual/augmented/mixed reality through the UBB-EON-XR Centre, etc.). Recently (2021), following the international QS STAR audit, UBB was officially ranked as the first world-class university (QS*****) in Romania, and in 2020 UBB was included in the GUILD, the organisation of the most prestigious European world-class/research-intensive universities, it was awarded the European HR Award for Excellence, and as of 2021/2022 it is a member of the EUTOPIA alliance of European universities.