France’s men’s national handball team is undergoing a leadership overhaul after a disappointing Euro 2026 and a quarterfinal exit at the Paris 2024 Olympics, signaling that head coach Guillaume Gille will step down.

Gille, who took the role in 2020 after Didier Dinart, departs after three finals-free campaigns, including a 34-35 overtime loss to Germany at the Paris Olympics and a disappointing Euro 2026.

Gille officially resigns on February 24, 2026, closing a tenure that failed to deliver a final in major tournaments.

Reaction to the appointment describes it as a potential revolution, with calls for a global top-level impact and an energizing shift for a promising generation of players.

Speculation points to Talant Dujshebaev, the Spanish coach of Kielce, as the likely successor, markingFrance’s first ever foreign head coach for the senior team.

The new arrangement will begin with the task of qualifying France for the 2027 World Cup, starting with a May playoff against the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic playoff in May remains a crucial hurdle to secure the 2027 World Cup berth.

Dujshebaev brings a storied international resume, having led Poland to fourth at the 2016 Olympics and Hungary from 2014 to 2016, along with familiarity with several French players from his Kielce days.

If appointed, Dujshebaev would join Kielce under a concurrent contract until 2028, creating an unprecedented dual role in French handball.

The French Handball Federation has not formally confirmed the change but has invited media to a briefing at 16:00 on Tuesday, February 24, at the Handball House.

This move marks a historic turn for French handball, which has rarely appointed foreign coaches, with Bernhard Kempa in 1958 the notable exception.

The appointment signals a new era for the France men’s team, potentially reshaping roster choices and strategy amid the transition.