▁with ▁ 1 0 ▁national ▁teams ▁in ▁competition . ▁As ▁the ▁European ▁K orf ball ▁Championship ▁was ▁split ▁into ▁an ▁A - Ch ampion ship ▁and ▁a ▁B - Ch ampion ship ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁this ▁tournament ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁decide ▁which ▁teams ▁would ▁particip ate ▁at ▁which ▁level , ▁with ▁the ▁top ▁ 8 ▁teams ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁A - Ch ampion ship , ▁while ▁the ▁teams ▁in ▁positions ▁ 9 ▁and ▁ 1 0 ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁the ▁B - Ch ampion ship . ▁Netherlands ▁won ▁the ▁tournament ▁for ▁a ▁sixth ▁consecutive ▁time , ▁maintain ing ▁its ▁ 1 0 0 % ▁win ▁record . ▁ ▁Qual ified ▁teams ▁ ▁Group ▁stage ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁particip ating ▁teams ▁was ▁brought ▁down ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁during ▁the ▁past ▁two ▁champion ships ▁to ▁only ▁ 1 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁thus ▁requiring ▁a ▁new ▁format . ▁Two ▁groups ▁( A ▁and ▁B ) ▁of ▁five ▁teams ▁were ▁drawn ▁on ▁ 6 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁with ▁each ▁team ▁playing ▁the ▁other ▁teams ▁in ▁their ▁group ▁once . ▁The ▁top ▁two ▁teams ▁in ▁these ▁groups ▁will ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁semi - final s . ▁The ▁other ▁teams ▁will ▁also ▁be ▁pa ired ▁with ▁a ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁other ▁group ▁in ▁a ▁play off ▁match ▁with ▁the ▁w inners ▁moving ▁into ▁group ▁C ▁playing ▁for ▁positions ▁ 5 ▁through ▁ 7 , ▁while ▁the ▁play off ▁los ers ▁will ▁go