The Hungarian Handball Federation has announced the new head coach of its senior national team. László Sótonyi, who recently led Hungary's junior national team to the European Championship title, was appointed to the senior post on a three-year deal at a press conference organized by the federation.
Ahead of the announcement, Federation President Ferenc Ilyés congratulated Sótonyi on the historic success achieved with the junior team. Ilyés recalled that the federation had decided to change the head coach following the loss to Serbia in the World Championship play-off match in May, and noted that Sótonyi's name had quickly emerged as the leading candidate. He added that Sótonyi would now work with the national team on a full-time basis, meaning he would step down from his role at NEKA, though he would maintain his ties with the academy.
Federation board member László Nagy highlighted the demanding schedule ahead for the senior national team. He said the squad, which failed to qualify for the January World Championship, would come together for the first time in November and immediately face European Championship qualifiers against Montenegro and Kosovo. Nagy added that the group match against the Faroe Islands would be played in the spring, and stressed that the priority was qualifying for the 2028 European Championship in order to keep alive hopes of Olympic Games participation.
Taking up the role, Sótonyi said he had reached the peak of his career and expressed his intention to build close relationships with clubs in order to closely monitor the performance and playing time of national team players. The new head coach stated that Hungarian players featuring more regularly in the Champions League was key to building a competitive national team, and added that the process of assembling his coaching staff was ongoing and would be announced once finalized.
László Sótonyi Named New Head Coach of Hungary National Team
László Sótonyi, who guided Hungary's junior national team to the European title, has been appointed head coach of Hungary's senior national team on a three-year contract.
Sótonyi's appointment can be read as a direct attempt to build a bridge from Hungary's youth structure to the senior level. The fact that ten players from the squad that won silver at the 2023 Junior World Championship already have senior national team experience shows the federation left little to chance in this choice. Yet, as Nagy acknowledged, the risk of falling behind rivals with a squad that missed the World Championship is real; whether Sótonyi can replicate his junior-level success at senior level will hinge on how effectively he manages player development at club level.
