The Under 19 Girls Team event promises another fascinating battle at the 2026 European Youth Championships in Gondomar, with defending champions France returning in pursuit of a third consecutive European crown. Yet, with Romania, Portugal, Poland and several other ambitious nations fielding talented line-ups, the road to gold is expected to be anything but straightforward.
France arrive as the team to beat after successfully defending their title in Ostrava last year, overcoming Ukraine in a hard-fought final to retain the European crown. Their victory added to the title won in 2024 and reinforced France’s status as one of Europe’s leading forces in the category.
The championship-winning squad featured Nina GUO ZHENG, Leana HOCHART, Alexia NODIN and Jade HUYNH, with HOCHART producing victories in the final against Olha PONKO and Veronika MATIUNINA. GUO ZHENG, then only 15 years old, also played a pivotal role with a crucial success over Daria KOVALOVA as France completed another memorable campaign.
Ukraine, represented by Veronika MATIUNINA, Olha PONKO, Daria KOVALOVA, Alina OVRIAKH and Veronika VASYLENKO, claimed silver, while Portugal, represented by Júlia LEAL, Matilde PINTO and Mariana SANTA COMBA, and Spain, with María BERZOSA, Camila Renata MOSCOSO, Mariona MUNNÉ, Sofía COUCE and Irina GIMENO FONT, shared the bronze medals.
As the competition moves to Gondomar, France once again head the seeding list. GUO ZHENG, HOCHART, HUYNH and NODIN return with the experience of defending champions and will be aiming to extend France’s remarkable run.
Second seeds Romania look well equipped to challenge for the title with Andreea BAIASU, Bianca MEI ROSU, Alesia Sofia SFERLEA, Maria STOIAN and Patricia STOICA. Poland, seeded third, rely on Natalia BOGDANOWICZ, Matylda HADRYS, Karolina HOLDA, Katarzyna RAJKOWSKA and Zofia SLIWKA, while hosts Portugal complete the top four seeds with Leonor GOMES, Júlia LEAL, Beatriz PINTO, Joana PINTO and Mariana SANTA COMBA hoping home support can inspire a deep run.
Spain, seeded fifth, field María BERZOSA, Sofía COUCE, Irina GIMENO FONT, Camila MOSCOSO and Renata SHYPSHA, while sixth-seeded Germany are represented by Rhea Zhu CHEN, Koharu ITAGAKI, Lorena MORSCH, Elisa NGUYEN and Lisa-Sophie WANG. Austria complete the top seven with Julia DUR, Elina FUCHS, Mariia LYTVYN, Sophia PICHLER and Nina SKERBINZ, while Belgium round out the top eight through Kathe DE MEYER, Lilly LAFFINEUR, Lessia LEWYCKYJ, Lilou MASSART and Lotte NUYTTENS.
Further down the draw, last year’s finalists Ukraine, represented by Daria KOVALOVA, Alina OVRIAKH, Olha PONKO, Tetiana PUKALO and Veronika VASYLENKO, remain one of the most dangerous unseeded teams despite starting as the tenth seeds. Hungary and Italy also possess the quality to challenge for the latter stages, while Serbia, Bulgaria and Türkiye will all be aiming to upset the established order.
With reigning champions eager to extend their dominance, hosts dreaming of a breakthrough on home soil and a host of talented challengers ready to seize their opportunity, the Under 19 Girls Team event is set to deliver another thrilling chapter in the history of the European Youth Championships.ampionships.
