| Remark: Europe had 4 quotas from Continental Championship and 6 quotas from the World Championship 1995. | | One additional place from Play-Off with Australia. |
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| Group | Qualified | 2. | 3. | 4. | | Group A | Norway | Romania | Turkey | Belgium | | Group B | Hungary | Lithuania | Ukraine | Macedonia | | Group C | Czechia | Belarus | Israel | Netherlands | | Group D | Portugal | Germany | Poland | Slovakia | | Group E | Iceland | Denmark | Greece | Estonia | | Group F | Italy | Slovenia | Switzerland | Austria | | Play-Off | Lithuania | Australia | | |
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Intercontinental Play-Off | | Lithuania played against Australia as best second placed team! |
| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | Agg. | | 31.01.97 | 19:45 | Sydney | Australia | 13-27 | Lithuania | 8 -14 | 28-57 | | 02.02.97 | 19:45 | Sydney | Australia | 15-30 | Lithuania | 9 -13 |
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| Not qualified teams were named "reserves" in the order of this ranking. |
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| Winners qulified to World Championship. |
| Group A | p | w | d | l | gf | ga | | 1. Norway | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 146: | 120 | | 2. Romania | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 143: | 128 | | 3. Turkey | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 139: | 150 | | 4. Belgium | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 120: | 150 |
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| Team | Norw | Roma | Turk | Bela | | Norway | ---- | 25:22 | 26:18 | 30:18 | | Romania | 23:17 | ---- | 29:18 | 19:19 | | Turkey | 23:23 | 25:29 | ---- | 30:22 | | Belgium | 16:25 | 24:21 | 21:25 | ---- |
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| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | | 03.10 | 18:00 | Brasov | Romania | 19-19 | Belgium | 8-9 | | 03.10 | 20:00 | Adana | Turkey | 23-23 | Norway | 11-12 | | 06.10 | 19:00 | Stavanger | Norway | 26-18 | Turkey | 14-11 | | 06.10 | 15:00 | Malmedy | Belgium | 24-21 | Romania | 13-12 | | 30.10 | 18:30 | Gjovik | Norway | 25-22 | Romania | 14-11 | | 30.10 | 20:30 | Liege | Belgium | 21-25 | Turkey | 14-16 | | 02.11 | 14:00 | Ankara | Turkey | 30-22 | Belgium | 14-9 | | 03.11 | 18:00 | Bucharest | Romania | 23-17 | Norway | 9-9 | | 27.11 | 19:00 | Drammen | Norway | 30-18 | Belgium | 15-12 | | 28.11 | 15:00 | Ankara | Turkey | 25-29 | Romania | 12-12 | | 01.12 | 18:00 | Bucharest | Romania | 29-18 | Turkey | 15-11 | | 01.12 | 17:00 | Beyne Heusay | Belgium | 16-25 | Norway | 6-11 |
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| Group B | p | w | d | l | gf | ga | | 1. Hungary | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 169: | 142 | | 2. Lithuania | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 158: | 139 | | 3. Ukraine | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 123: | 130 | | 4. Macedonia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 128: | 167 |
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| Team | Hung | Lith | Ukra | Mace | | Hungary | ---- | 27:20 | 23:22 | 34:25 | | Lithuania | 28:25 | ---- | 27:18 | 30:20 | | Ukraine | 24:26 | 21:22 | ---- | 25:19 | | Macedonia | 23:34 | 28:31 | 13:13 | ---- |
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| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | | 02.10 | 18:00 | Tokol | Hungary | 27-20 | Lithuania | 12-8 | | 02.10 | 18:00 | Prilep | Macedonia | 13-13 | Ukraine | 7-6 | | 06.10 | 16:00 | Kaunas | Lithuania | 28-25 | Hungary | 15-9 | | 06.10 | 12:00 | Kiev | Ukraine | 25-19 | Macedonia | 11-6 | | 30.10 | 18:00 | Kaunas | Lithuania | 30-20 | Macedonia | 17-10 | | 30.10 | 17:45 | Kiev | Ukraine | 24-26 | Hungary | 11-11 | | 03.11 | 11:00 | Szazhalombatta | Hungary | 23-22 | Ukraine | 13-12 | | 03.11 | 18:00 | Radevis | Macedonia | 28-31 | Lithuania | 14-17 | | 27.11 | 18:00 | Kiev | Ukraine | 21-22 | Lithuania | 10-10 | | 27.11 | 18:00 | Negotino | Macedonia | 23-34 | Hungary | 12-17 | | 01.12 | 11:00 | Vac | Hungary | 34-25 | Macedonia | 16-13 | | 01.12 | 16:00 | Kaunas | Lithuania | 27-18 | Ukraine | 11-9 |
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| Group C | p | w | d | l | gf | ga | | 1. Czechia | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 155: | 124 | | 2. Belarus | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 162: | 133 | | 3. Israel | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 135: | 152 | | 4. Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 120: | 163 |
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| Team | Czec | Bela | Isra | Neth | | Czechia | ---- | 21:24 | 27:19 | 31:18 | | Belarus | 20:25 | ---- | 35:19 | 25:22 | | Israel | 23:25 | 26:25 | ---- | 23:21 | | Netherlands | 20:26 | 20:33 | 19:25 | ---- |
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| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | | 02.10 | 19:00 | Minsk | Belarus | 35-19 | Israel | 17-11 | | 03.10 | 17:00 | Lovosice | Czechia | 31-18 | Netherlands | 11-10 | | 05.10 | 14:30 | Breda | Netherlands | 20-26 | Czechia | 10-14 | | 06.10 | 20:30 | Tel Aviv | Israel | 26-25 | Belarus | 13-14 | | 30.10 | 18:30 | Tel Aviv | Israel | 23-25 | Czechia | 10-12 | | 31.10 | 20:00 | Franeker | Netherlands | 20-33 | Belarus | 10-16 | | 03.11 | 15:00 | Prague | Czechia | 27-19 | Israel | 13-8 | | 03.11 | 16:00 | Minsk | Belarus | 25-22 | Netherlands | 12-12 | | 27.11 | 19:00 | Minsk | Belarus | 20-25 | Czechia | 12-10 | | 29.11 | 15:00 | Tel Aviv | Israel | 23-21 | Netherlands | 12-9 | | 30.11 | 15:00 | Plzcn | Czechia | 21-24 | Belarus | 8-10 | | 01.12 | 20:30 | Tel Aviv | Israel | 25-19 | Netherlands | 14-5 |
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| Group D | p | w | d | l | gf | ga | | 1.Portugal | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 156: | 124 | | 2.Germany | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 138: | 130 | | 3.Poland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 129: | 144 | | 4.Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 125: | 150 |
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| Team | Port | Germ | Pola | Slov | | Portugal | ---- | 21:19 | 27:15 | 26:20 | | Germany | 31:28 | ---- | 21:20 | 23:21 | | Poland | 21:28 | 19:23 | ---- | 28:26 | | Slovakia | 18:26 | 21:21 | 19:26 | ---- |
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| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | | 03.10 | 17:30 | Dun. Streda | Slovakia | 18-26 | Portugal | 8-15 | | 04.10 | 20:00 | Karlsruhe | Germany | 21-20 | Poland | 13-10 | | 06.10 | 14:30 | Leiria | Portugal | 26-20 | Slovakia | 12-11 | | 06.10 | 18:00 | Dzierzoniow | Poland | 19-23 | Germany | 10-10 | | 30.10 | 21:30 | Braga | Portugal | 21-19 | Germany | 12-11 | | 30.10 | 17:00 | Mielec | Poland | 28-26 | Slovakia | 17-12 | | 02.11 | 17:00 | Bardejov | Slovakia | 19-26 | Poland | 6-10 | | 03.11 | 14:30 | Koblenz | Germany | 31-28 | Portugal | 16-11 | | 27.11 | 21:15 | Braga | Portugal | 27-15 | Poland | 14-7 | | 27.11 | 17:00 | Sala | Slovakia | 21-21 | Germany | 12-14 | | 30.11 | 19:30 | Plonsk | Poland | 21-28 | Portugal | 7-15 | | 01.12 | 15:00 | Berlin | Germany | 23-21 | Slovakia | 10-12 |
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| Group E | p | w | d | l | gf | ga | | 1. Iceland | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 161: | 120 | | 2. Denmark | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 158: | 125 | | 3. Greece | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 122: | 162 | | 4. Estonia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 126: | 160 |
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| Team | Icel | Denm | Gree | Esto | | Iceland | ---- | 27:21 | 32:21 | 30:22 | | Denmark | 22:24 | ---- | 33:15 | 24:17 | | Greece | 20:20 | 17:29 | ---- | 24:24 | | Estonia | 14:28 | 25:29 | 24:25 | ---- |
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| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | | 02.10 | 20:00 | Akureyri | Iceland | 32-21 | Greece | 16-6 | | 04.10 | 19:30 | Nykobing | Denmark | 24-17 | Estonia | 11-7 | | 06.10 | 14:00 | Athens | Greece | 20-20 | Iceland | 10-10 | | 06.10 | 14:00 | Middelfart | Denmark | 29-25 | Estonia | 13-8 | | 01.11 | 15:30 | Athens | Greece | 17-29 | Denmark | 11-13 | | 01.11 | 20:30 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 28-14 | Estonia | 14-10 | | 03.11 | 20:00 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 30-22 | Estonia | 17-11 | | 03.11 | 14:00 | Silkeborg | Denmark | 33-15 | Greece | 15-8 | | 27.11 | 20:40 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 27-21 | Denmark | 12-10 | | 29.11 | 19:00 | Patra | Greece | 24-24 | Estonia | 12-10 | | 01.12 | 16:30 | Aalborg | Denmark | 22-24 | Iceland | 12-11 | | 01.12 | 17:30 | Patra | Greece | 25-24 | Estonia | 12-10 |
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| Group F | p | w | d | l | gf | ga | | 1. Italy | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 121: | 123 | | 2. Slovenia | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 130: | 115 | | 3. Switzerland | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 136: | 140 | | 4. Austria | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 132: | 141 |
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| Team | Ital | Slov | Swit | Aust | | Italy | ---- | 19:18 | 23:21 | 24:20 | | Slovenia | 19:12 | ---- | 26:14 | 25:20 | | Switzerland | 22:20 | 29:23 | ---- | 29:26 | | Austria | 23:23 | 21:19 | 22:21 | ---- |
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| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | | 02.10 | 18:30 | Velenje | Slovenia | 25-20 | Austria | 14-10 | | 02.10 | 20:00 | Winthertur | Switzerland | 22-20 | Italy | 11-9 | | 05.10 | 16:00 | Voitsberg | Austria | 21-19 | Slovenia | 7-10 | | 06.10 | 19:00 | Conversano | Italy | 23-21 | Switzerland | 12-10 | | 01.11 | 18:00 | Trieste | Italy | 19-18 | Slovenia | 8-10 | | 01.11 | 19:30 | Feldkirch | Austria | 22-21 | Switzerland | 9-10 | | 02.11 | 17:55 | Hrpelje | Slovenia | 19-12 | Italy | 7- 6 | | 03.11 | 13:00 | St. Gallen | Switzerland | 29-26 | Austria | 14-15 | | 27.11 | 19:00 | Brixen | Italy | 24-20 | Austria | 13-9 | | 27.11 | 20:00 | Olten | Switzerland | 29-23 | Slovenia | 12-13 | | 30.11 | 18:00 | Celje | Slovenia | 26-14 | Switzerland | 12-10 | | 30.11 | 18:00 | Innsbruck | Austria | 23-23 | Italy | 10-10 |
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| date | time | venue | team 1 | score | team 2 | HT | Agg. | | 28.08 | 20:00 | Athens | Greece | 28-17 | Cyprus | 11-5 | 63-39 | | 01.09 | 20:45 | Nicosia | Cyprus | 22-35 | Greece | 8-14 | | 20.08 | 18:00 | Tbilisi | Georgia | 23-25 | Ukraine | 13-10 | 44-49 | | 22.08 | | Severodonetsk | Ukraine | 24-21 | Georgia | 15-9 |
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