---
title: "Handball: Ukraine lost to Serbia 30:41 in the second round of Euro 2028 qualifiers"
description: "The Ukrainian national handball team lost to Serbia 30:41 in the second round of Euro 2028 qualifiers. This is their second consecutive heavy defeat, following a loss to Iceland. The team has no points in Group 3."
date: 2026-11-08T15:57:42.085Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-handball-defeat-serbia-euro-2028
tags: [handball, ukraine-national-team, euro-2028-qualification, serbia, handball-europe]
author: "Dmitriy Shatolov, Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Handball: Ukraine lost to Serbia 30:41 in the second round of Euro 2028 qualifiers

![Head coach of the Ukrainian national handball team Vadym Brazhnyk actively gestures during a Euro 2028 qualifier match](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/08/ukraina-gandbol-porazhenie-ot-serbii-euro-2028/ukraina-gandbol-porazhenie-ot-serbii-euro-2028-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Ukraine lost to Serbia 30:41 in the second round match of the Euro 2028 handball qualifiers
- The game took place on November 8 in Prešov, Slovakia, as a nominally home match for Ukrainians
- This is the second consecutive heavy defeat: in the first round, the team lost to Iceland by a 22-goal margin
- After two rounds, Ukraine is without points in Group 3 alongside Iceland, Serbia, and Estonia
- The next matches will be played in March 2027 against Estonia (March 10–11 and 13–14)

The men's national handball team of Ukraine suffered its second consecutive defeat in the European Championship 2028 qualifiers. In the second-round match, the Ukrainians lost to the Serbian national team with a score of 30:41, conceding 11 goals more. The match, which was nominally a home game for Vadym Brazhnyk's team, took place on November 8 in Prešov, Slovakia.

### Match Progress and Result

Brazhnyk's charges failed to contain Serbia's attacking potential and trailed throughout the entire meeting. The final 11-goal deficit (30:41) was a continuation of an unsuccessful qualifying start: in the first round, the "blue-and-yellow" lost away to Iceland, falling to one of the qualification favorites by 22 goals. Thus, the Ukrainians finished both starting games with heavy defeats.

### Group 3 Situation

After two rounds, Ukraine remains without points in Group 3, which also features Iceland, Serbia, and Estonia. Two consecutive crushing losses significantly complicate the team's position in the fight for a spot in the continental tournament's final stage and pose a challenge for the coaching staff to restructure the game ahead of the next qualification stretch.

### Upcoming Matches

The Ukrainian national team will play its next qualification matches in March 2027 against Estonia. First, the teams will meet at Estonia's venue on March 10–11, and a nominally home match for the Ukrainians will take place on March 13–14. These very games will provide an opportunity for the team to break the unsuccessful streak and earn their first points in the qualifying cycle.

### Qualification Regulations

According to current regulations, the top two teams from each of the eight groups, as well as the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the final stage of Euro 2028. This means that even with a poor start, Ukraine retains a theoretical chance to make the play-ins or directly qualify through third place, but to do so, it must demonstrate effective play in the upcoming matches.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Украина снова потерпела разгром в отборе на Евро-2028 по гандболу](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/othersport/ukrayina-vdruge-pospil-zaznala-rozgromu-vidbori-1794153221.html) - The primary source contains all key facts: the 30:41 score, the date November 8, the location Prešov, coach Vadym Brazhnyk, the composition of Group 3, the dates of March matches against Estonia, and the qualification regulations.

## FAQ

### What was the score of Ukraine's loss to Serbia?

Ukraine lost to Serbia with a score of 30:41, meaning a deficit of 11 goals.

### Where and when did the match take place?

The second-round qualification match took place on November 8 in Prešov, Slovakia, where the Ukrainian national team played a nominally home match.

### What are Ukraine's results in the qualifiers after two rounds?

After two rounds, Ukraine has no points: they lost away to Iceland in the first round and to Serbia 30:41 in the second.

### Who else plays in Group 3?

Group 3 features Iceland, Serbia, and Estonia alongside Ukraine.

### When are Ukraine's next qualification matches?

In March 2027: March 10–11 away against Estonia and March 13–14 for Ukraine's nominally home match.