The Granollers Cup has opened its doors for its 26th edition, becoming the most international in its history with the participation of 24 countries. The competition, running from Thursday until Sunday, will feature 1,143 matches across 22 courts in Granollers, Les Franqueses, and Canovelles. This year, the tournament organized by BM Granollers brings together 374 teams and over 6,000 participants, a figure that has led to the exclusion of courts in Cardedeu and Montornès.
The opening ceremony, held on Wednesday at Plaça de la Porxada, featured ambassadors Pau Panitti and Nicole Wiggins, who welcomed attendees from the City Hall balcony. Subsequently, a parade led participants to the Palau d'Esports to kick off the youth handball festival.
Despite a decrease of a thousand participants compared to previous editions, the president of BM Granollers, Alfred Serra, highlighted the focus on quality. "We prioritize quality over quantity. It's our distinctive feature," he explained, pointing to the proliferation of other tournaments as the reason for clubs choosing different competitions.
The competition maintains its status as a benchmark in Southern Europe. Among the new participating countries are Ivory Coast and Peru. Norway leads with 39 teams, followed by Iceland (9) and France (7). Teams from Brazil, Croatia, Poland, Scotland, Slovenia, Sweden, Canada, Hungary, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Nigeria, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Mexico, Belgium, Chile, and Egypt are also participating. Additionally, there are 204 Catalan teams and 57 from the rest of Spain. According to Pol Blanchart, head of the Granollers Cup, some countries like Mexico, Canada, and Scotland are returning after years of absence.
Mayor Alba Barnusell emphasized the inseparable link between the city and the competition, highlighting the cultural and economic contribution of the nearly 6,000 young athletes and their families. "The city cannot be explained without the Granollers Cup," she stated, stressing the quality of services offered to the athletes.
