Four teams for EHF European League Women group phase announced

The first four teams of the EHF European League Women group phase have been announced after the EHF Executive Committee confirmed that Denmark’s Herning-Ikast Handbold, Siofok KC from Hungary, CS Minaur Baia Mare from Romania and Russia’s Handball Club Lada are directly seeded for the group phase of the new competition. The remaining 12 participants will be added following two qualification rounds played in October and November.

A total of 10 European trophies have been won by the four teams granted a place in the EHF European League Women group phase, while 34 teams in total will take part in the upcoming season.

Also, three former EHF Champions League winners, with a total output of eight European top-flight trophies, can be found on the qualification starting grid. While Viborg (with three titles in 2006, 2009, 2010) and Zvezda (2008) will start only in the last qualification round, four-time winners Hypo Niederösterreich (1994, 1995, 1998, 2000) enter already in the opening round.

The EHF European League in both genders has transformed from the former EHF Cups this summer as part of a big EHF club competitions’ reform. In the EHF European League Women, following two qualification rounds, a total of 16 teams will play in the group phase.

After the completion of the group phase and quarter-final, the competition will culminate in the EHF European League Women Finals on 8/9 May 2021.

EHF European League Women

Teams directly seeded for the group phase (4):
DEN       Herning-Ikast Handbold
HUN      Siofok KC
ROU      CS Minaur Baia Mare
RUS       Handball Club Lada 

Teams directly seeded for the third qualification round (18):
CZE        DHK Banik Most
DEN       Nykobing Falster Handbold
DEN       Viborg HK
ESP        Super Amara Bera Bera
FRA       Fleury Loiret Handball
FRA       Nantes Atlantique Handball
GER       HSG Blomberg-Lippe
GER       TUSSIES Metzingen
HUN      DVSC Schaeffler
HUN      Vaci NKSE
NOR      Byasen Handball Elite
NOR      Storhamar Handball Elite
POL       MKS Perla Lublin
ROU      SCM Gloria Buzau
RUS       Astrakhanochka
RUS       HC Zvezda
SWE      H 65 Höörs HK
TUR       Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK

Teams seeded for the second qualification round (12):
AUT       Hypo Niederösterreich
AUT       WAT Atzgersdorf
FRA       Paris 92
GER       Thüringer HC
HUN      Alba Fehervar KC
NOR      Molde HK Elite
NOR      Tertnes Bergen
ROU      HC Dunarea Braila
RUS       Kuban
SUI        LC Brühl Handball
SVK        IUVENTA Michalovce
SWE      LUGI Handboll

As it was possible to place all registered teams in two qualification rounds, the originally planned first qualification round in September could be skipped.

As the next step later this week the EHF will announce the pots for the opening (second) qualification round draw, which will take place on Tuesday 28 July in Vienna. The opening qualification round starts on 10/11 October.