The German team earned a 24-17 victory over Spain in the gold medal contest of the 2016 Championships at the Tauron Arena in Kraków, with their victory giving them a place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

They were drawn in the fifth of seven groups, with teams due to play home and away ties during the qualification rounds.

The top two teams in each group will automatically qualify for the 2018 Championships in Croatia, along with the best third place nation.

Record four-time winners Sweden were placed into group six with Russia, Montenegro and Slovakia, while current world and Olympic champions France face Norway, Lithuania and Belgium in group seven.

Denmark, who secured their place at Rio 2016 by winning their qualification tournament last week, head group one alongside The Netherlands, Latvia and Hungary.

Poland also celebrated Olympic qualification last week and will begin as the favourites to win group two ahead of Serbia, Belarus and Romania, while Spain will meet Austria, Finland and Bosnia and Herzegovina in group three.

Iceland, Macedonia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic will contest group four.

As the host nation, Croatia do not have to compete in the qualification rounds of the tournament, which their right back Luka Stepancic believes will be beneficial for the team.

"I think that it is an advantage that we don’t have to play the qualification for the Euro 2018 as the handball calendar is already very full and we can use this time to recover," he said.

"I am really looking forward to playing in front of my family and friends."

The opening two qualifying rounds will take place from November 2 to 6, with the third and fourth matches then scheduled to be held from May 3 to 7 in 2017.

Group competition will draw to a close from June 14 to 18 in 2017.

The final tournament will then take place from January 12 to 28 in 2018, with matches held in Croatia's capital Zagreb, Varaždin, Poreč and Split.