Granollers Cup: Record Countries Despite Fewer Teams

The 26th handball tournament consolidates grass pitches and revives the Plaça de la Porxada, attracting participants from 24 nations.

Generic image of a sports event with artificial turf fields.
IA

Generic image of a sports event with artificial turf fields.

The Granollers Cup has concluded its 26th edition with a positive review, highlighted by a record number of 24 participating countries, despite a slight decrease in the total number of registered teams.

The competition brought together 374 teams and over 6,000 participants over four days, with more than 1,100 matches played across 22 pitches in Granollers, les Franqueses, and Canovelles. This year, the number of participants dropped below 7,000 for the first time in three years, with 84 fewer teams than the previous edition.
Despite the reduction in teams, Pol Blanchart, head of the Granollers Cup, stated that the overall assessment is positive, emphasizing the record number of participating countries. "We must highlight that we achieved a record in participating countries, and that is also important," he declared.
The organizing team, BM Granollers, expressed satisfaction with the consolidation of the artificial turf pitches, used at the Primer de Maig and Ponent fields. Blanchart anticipates that "the grass pitches are now consolidated for the 'alevín' category" and is considering whether they could also accommodate the 'infantil' category.
The recovery of the pitch at the Plaça de la Porxada was also highlighted. "It was very important to play again in the town center, to recapture the essence of handball and the club's connection with the city," stated Blanchart. The possibility of the 'benjamín' category participating in the next edition as a competitive part of the Granollers Cup, or maintaining the current format of a non-competitive event with the Mini Granollers Cup, is being considered.