Benin handball team appoints French coach
Euphémie Dartron-Lairy will lead the senior women's national team for the 2026 CAN tournament.
Euphémie Dartron-Lairy, a French coach of Guadeloupean origin, has been appointed technical coordinator for Benin's senior women's handball team. She will lead the team, known as the Amazons, in the 2026 Women's Senior CAN tournament scheduled for December 2-12 in Tunisia. Dartron-Lairy aims to develop Benin's women's handball by focusing on human connection, team cohesion, and performance.
Dartron-Lairy, trained by the French Handball Federation, describes herself as a "facilitator of potential." Her career includes coaching and management roles, notably with ASUP men's team where they won 13 titles in 16 competitions and were French National 3 runners-up in 2022. She moved to mainland France in 2021 to further her coaching development and has been coaching Palente Besançon Handball in the second division since July 2025.
Beyond the sport, Dartron-Lairy sees her role with the Benin selection as a personal project. As someone of African descent, she stated her motivation extends beyond handball itself. Her experience includes developing young talent and coaching at various levels in France and Guadeloupe.
Why it mattersBenin's senior women's handball team will benefit from the technical expertise of a new coach for the 2026 CAN tournament.