From June 28 to 30 2024, the 13th Airport Trophy will see Europe's top youth teams preparing for the upcoming European Championship in Slovenia.
Besides host nation Switzerland and defending champion Germany, spectators can look forward to top teams from France and the reigning U19 World Champion Spain.
Traditionally, the Airport Trophy serves as the final test before the major summer event - either the youth European or World Championship. All four participating teams will head to Slovenia in early July, where 24 nations will compete for the European crown in the U20 age category. Notably, Spain, France, and Switzerland have all been drawn into the same preliminary group. It remains to be seen how much the coaches will reveal in these direct encounters or if there will be any surprises in Kloten.
Tournament director Christoph Lüthi is excited about the world-class participants: "I am proud that we have once again secured Germany, Spain, and France, three of the top nations, for our tournament. With Switzerland, which has also qualified for the upcoming European Championship through very strong performances, we can present the fans with four excellent teams and the handball stars of tomorrow." Over the previous 12 editions of the Airport Trophy, many future handball greats have participated. This was evident at the Handball EUROs in Germany this January, where Nedim Remili, the tournament MVP, gained his first international experience in Kloten.
In addition to top youth handball, the Airport Trophy will feature an engaging program as usual. For Lüthi, the Mobiliar Kids' Day is always a highlight: "On the tournament Saturday, primary school children can train with handball stars, whether they have prior handball experience or not. This year, the kids can look forward to particularly prominent stars. Andy Schmid and Kerstin Kündig will be in Kloten!" said the tournament director.
For updates on the Mobiliar Kids' Day and the tournament, it's worth following the official Instagram channel in addition to the website. Tickets are only available at the box office. Handball teams also have the opportunity to benefit from attractive team tickets. Registrations for the Kids' Day and team tickets can be made through the website.
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