Two decisive matches and one international tournament planned

April will be a great month for handball fans in the Algarve, which will host two important matches for the men’s and women’s national teams as well as an under-18 international tournament.

The first event will be a decisive first-leg playoff match-up between the national men’s handball teams of Portugal and the Netherlands at Portimão Arena on Thursday, April 14 at 7pm. Portugal must overcome its Dutch rivals to secure a spot in the 2023 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship.

Tickets cost €10 and can be purchased online at www.bol.pt, at the Portimão Arena ticket office on weekdays from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 6.30pm, at the TEMPO theatre ticket office between Tuesday and Saturday from 1pm to 6pm and at Portimão Museum on Tuesday from 2.30pm to 6pm and between Wednesday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

The national women’s team is also vying for qualification for a major tournament and will host Hungary at Pavilhão Municipal Professor Joaquim Vairinhos in Loulé on Thursday, April 21 at 7pm. It will be the team’s penultimate match in the qualification stage for the Women’s EHF Euro 2022. Tickets cost €5 (www.blueticket.meo.pt).

Lastly, Lagoa is hosting the International Tournament of Lagoa featuring the under-18 national men’s teams of Portugal, Norway, Netherlands and Poland between Thursday and Saturday. The full schedule of matches, which will be played at Pavilhão Municipal Jacinto Correira, is available at www.cm-lagoa.pt.