Croatia's U18 women's handball team convincingly defeated Tunisia 33-23 to advance to the President's Cup final, where they will face Portugal in an attempt to complete a unique run of winning this competition in all three age categories.
Croatia's junior women's national team continued their excellent performances at the World Championship for players under 18 in Romania. On Thursday, August 6, 2026, in the decisive match for first place in Group I of the President's Cup, the Croatian girls outclassed Tunisia with a score of 33-23, thus securing a spot in the final of this consolation tournament, i.e., the battle for 17th place overall.
Throughout the match, the victory was never in doubt. The Croatian cadets imposed a high tempo from the very start, and a solid defense combined with fast transitions gave them a comfortable six-goal lead by halftime. In the second half, they fully controlled the game and the score, confirming their favorite status and earning a showdown with Portugal for the prestigious title of the best team outside the main draw. That match is scheduled for Friday, August 7, 2026, at 5:30 PM Croatian time, and can be watched live on the Voyo platform.
The path to the President's Cup final has been flawless. After being eliminated from the main competition, the players selected by the Croatian coaching staff showed exceptional character. They opened the relegation round with a victory over the Czech Republic 34-24 (20-16), where a furious start and a 5-1 run early on ensured a calm finish. Discipline was key: Croatia had only 8 turnovers, while the Czechs committed as many as 23 technical errors. Maja Košćec led the team with 8 goals, and Rahela Varga added 6.
Next came a match against Mexico, which was also routinely resolved with a score of 38-17, followed by the aforementioned victory over Tunisia for first place in the group and a spot in the final.
Reaching the President's Cup final gives this generation the opportunity to achieve a unique feat. Croatia's women's handball teams have already won this tournament in the past two seasons: the senior team claimed the world title in 2025, while the U20 selection achieved the same success at the 2026 World Championship. Winning the President's Cup in the cadet category as well would complete an incredible "triple crown," serving as strong evidence of continuity and quality across all age groups.
Although their performances in the President's Cup have been impressive, the road at the World Championship did not begin as hoped. In a challenging Group A, Croatia opened the tournament with a narrow loss to Egypt 24-27. A similar scenario unfolded in the decisive match for advancement against France, who also celebrated with an identical score of 24-27. The only victory in the group stage came against Fiji, where the Croatian girls routed the tournament debutants with a record-breaking 83-17.
In the President's Cup final, Croatia will face Portugal, who have also shown impressive form by winning their group with victories over Uzbekistan and Guinea. In their win over Guinea, 28-23, Maria Rita Lopes stood out with 9 goals. An intense and hard-fought match is expected, in which Croatia will be chasing not only 17th place but also confirmation of their status as the best team in the "lower half" of world handball.
