Race for the final quarter-final spots goes down to the wire

Race for the final quarter-final spots goes down to the wire

EHF / Danijela Vekić & Sergey Nikolaev
19 February 2026, 11:00

The last round of the EHF Champions League Women 2025/26 group phase brings with it decisive clashes in the hunt for play-off and quarter-final tickets.

In a tight group B, four teams are fighting for two direct quarter-final spots. In the Match of the Week, Odense Håndbold will look to seal their place with a win against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria, who are also in the race. Brest Bretagne Handball can also secure a direct quarter-final berth with a victory, while CSM Bucuresti remain in contention alongside FTC. Elsewhere, Sola HK and Krim OTP Group Mercator will play their final matches of the campaign, both aiming to end their EHF Champions League Women season on a high.

In group A, the situation is more straightforward, as Györi Audi ETO KC and Metz Handball have already secured direct quarter-final tickets, while Team Esbjerg, DVSC Schaeffler and Gloria Bistrita will compete in the play-offs. The sixth-placed BV Borussia Dortmund will also secure a play-off spot even with a draw at Györ, but if they lose, Storhamar, who will host Bistrita, may leapfrog the German team. 

All the details of all the different permutations ahead of the final round can be found here.

GROUP A

Storhamar Handball Elite (NOR) vs Gloria Bistrita (ROU)

Sunday 22 February, 14:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 2-0-2
Last match: Gloria Bistrita vs Storhamar Handball Elite, 6 September 2025 (29:26 (15:12))

  • last week, Storhamar ended their eight-match losing run, as 16 saves by Eli Marie Raasok powered them to a 26:22 win at Buducnost
  • the Norwegian side, who sit seventh with six points, stay in fight for a play-off spot: they will progress if they beat Bistrita, and Dortmund lose at Györ
  • after four straight defeats, Bistrita earned their first win in the EHF Champions League in 2026 last week, defeating DVSC Schaeffler 32:31
  • with a tally of 14 points, the Romanian team are certain to finish fourth in the group and reach the play-offs
  • Storhamar's Anniken Obaidli ranks eighth in the competition's scoring chart with 73 goals: Bistrita's Dalina So Delgado is joint fifth in that list with 79 goals

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20250914 Storhamar Buducnost 12195
It will be a very important match for us. We need two points to advance. This is the last chance, so we are ready to give everything we have.
Malin Aune
Right wing, Storhamar Handball Elite

DVSC Schaeffler (HUN) vs OTP Group Buducnost (MNE)

Sunday 22 February, 14:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 4-0-1
Last match: OTP Group Buducnost vs DVSC Schaeffler, 7 September 2025 (24:25 (11:10))

  • DVSC, who have 10 points, are certain to finish fifth in the group and progress to the play-offs
  • in turn, the last-placed Buducnost have no chance of reaching the play-offs and will finish their current EHF Champions League campaign on Sunday
  • the Montenegrin side, who have just three points under their belt, are on a four-match losing run
  • French right wing Alicia Toublanc, who is Debrecen's leading scorer in the competition, ranks seventh in the tournament's scoring chart with 78 goals
  • line player Ivana Godec is Buducnost's top scorer, with a tally of 63 goals

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Metz Handball (FRA) vs Team Esbjerg (DEN)

Sunday 22 February, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 6-1-5
Last match: Team Esbjerg vs Metz Handball, 7 September 2025 (29:30 (15:15))

  • following their fourth consecutive win in the competition, 33:24 against Dortmund in round 13, Metz booked a direct quarter-final ticket
  • the French side, who are second-placed with 22 points, may even win the group if they take more points on Sunday than Györ do against Dortmund
  • third-placed Esbjerg extended their winning streak to five matches, beating Györ for the first time (33:28) after 11 defeats in 11 previous mutual encounters
  • with 436 goals, the Danish team boast the best attack in group A and the third-best in the entire tournament, and their centre back Henny Reistad is the competition's top scorer with 94 goals
  • Metz's line player Sarah Bouktit takes fourth position on that list, with 80 goals to her name

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Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs BV Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Sunday 22 February, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 3-0-0
Last match: BV Borussia Dortmund vs Györi Audi ETO KC, 7 September 2025 (30:43 (15:20))

  • titleholders Györ, who had secured their direct quarter-final berth with two matches to go, fell to their second defeat of the season in the match against Esbjerg last time out
  • however, the Hungarian heavyweights are certain to win the group if they beat Dortmund, as they have a head-to-head advantage over second-placed Metz
  • for sixth-placed Dortmund, even a draw on Sunday will be enough to reach the play-offs
  • Györ have somewhat slowed down in attack in recent matches, but they still boast the most efficient defence in the entire tournament, having only conceded 335 goals
  • right back Dione Housheer is Györ's leading scorer in the competition with 71 goals; Alina Grijseels has netted 52 times for Dortmund

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20250913 ETO Esbjerg Warmup Coaches
We will step onto the court with a strong desire to improve and the determination to be much, much better. We also know that we usually react well in tough situations and are able to adapt. Even though we have already qualified for the quarterfinals, in this sport we always play to win, and if we beat Dortmund, we also win the group.
Per Johansson
Head coach, Györi Audi ETO KC
260215 BVB Metz 080

GROUP B

MOTW: Odense Håndbold (DEN) vs FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN)

Saturday 21 February, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 2-1-2
Last match: FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria vs Odense Håndbold, 6 September 2025 (32:34 (16:18))

  • FTC's five-game winning streak came to an end with a 35:30 defeat against CSM in round 13, while Odense are now on a two-game winning run and have the chance to celebrate their 50th Champions League win with a victory
  • both sides are still in the race for a quarter-final spot: Odense need a win or a draw and CSM to drop points, while FTC must win and hope CSM do not take a victory
  • if FTC secure a direct quarter-final spot, it would be their second in a row, while for Odense it would be their first since the 2023/24 season
  • in the opening match of the season, Odense claimed a 34:32 win, with Ingvild Bakkerud scoring seven times
  • Odense share the best attack in the competition with Brest, scoring 439 goals in 13 matches, or 33.76 per game, while FTC boast the best defence in the group, conceding only 371 goals
  • Thale Rushfeldt Deila and Elma Halilčević lead Odense with 64 and 61 goals, respectively, while Katrin Klujber (66) and Emily Vogel (61) top FTC's scoring chart

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Sola HK (NOR) vs HC Podravka (CRO)

Saturday 21 February, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 2-0-1
Last match: HC Podravka vs Sola HK, 6 September 2025 (31:26 (15:11))

  • Podravka ended their nine-game losing streak with a win against Krim in round 13, which also secured their play-off spot
  • Podravka have reached the play-offs for the second consecutive season after missing out in 2022/23 and 2023/24, when they played in the EHF European League
  • Sola are on a four-game losing run and are out of contention, playing their final Champions League match of the season as they look to end their maiden top-flight campaign on a high
  • the 31:26 win at the start of the season marked Podravka's first victory against Sola led by Matea Pletikosic's 13 goals
  • Matea Pletikosić is also Podravka's top scorer with 69 goals, while Tina Barišic (50 goals) trails Katarina Pandža by two; Camilla Herrem remains Sola's top scorer with 56

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CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Ikast Håndbold (DEN)

Saturday 21 February, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 5-0-2
Last match: Ikast Håndbold vs CSM Bucuresti, 7 September 2025 (28:27 (17:12))

  • CSM will qualify for the quarter-finals if they win and Odense drop points, while Ikast have already clinched a play-off berth
  • Ikast claimed a narrow 28:27 win at the start of the season, when Emilie Arntzen scored a buzzer-beater
  • CSM are on a seven-game winning streak, with their last defeat coming on 2 November 2025 against Odense (30:36), while Ikast have won two of their last five matches
  • Ikast's Julie Scaglione is the competition's top scorer with 83 goals, while Elizabeth Omoregie tops CSM's scoring with 79
  • the match will mark Ikast's 140th appearance in the EHF Champions League Women

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20251115 Csmbucuresti Solahk 14
It's a special game for me but it's okay, I like a lot of the girls but when we play against each other I want to win, just as well as I did when I played in Ikast. The vibe in the team is good; we train good and we play good, that's why we are here.
Emma Friis
Left wing, CSM Bucuresti

Krim OTP Group Mercator (SLO) vs Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA)

Saturday 21 February, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
H2H: 2-0-3
Last match: Brest Bretagne Handball vs Krim OTP Group Mercator, 6 September 2025 (32:20 (13:9))

  • while Krim are already eliminated and will play their final EHF Champions League match of the season, Brest are fighting for a direct quarter-final spot, which they can secure with one of three scenarios: a win or draw against Krim, lose combined with Odense dropping points, or lose combined with CSM failing to win
  • the Slovenian side last won in the EHF Champions League Women on 1 November 2025, beating Sola 35:28, while Brest have won three of their last five matches
  • Brest share the best attack in the competition with Odense, scoring 439 goals, while Krim rank among the bottom three, although their defensive numbers are similar, with Krim conceding 387 and Brest 389
  • two French internationals play for Krim: Tamara Horacek and Grace Zaadi, but neither has previously played for Brest Bretagne Handball
  • Slovenia international Ana Gros, who represented Krim in the 2024/25, 2021/22 and 2009/10 seasons, is closing in on the 1,000-goal mark in the competition, currently on 993 goals

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IMG 1405
We’ve had a very good run so far in this group stage, but everything can still change, so we’ll need to stay focused. We’re in a good position but we’ll have to confirm it in the game against Krim. We need to win to finish top of the group that’s really the objective for this match. Our destiny is in our hands. And in any case, the Champions League is played until the very end, so we have to be fully committed until the last match.
Raphaëlle Tervel
Head coach, Brest Bretagne Handball
20260208 Csmbucuresti Brest 29

Main photo © Brest Bretagne Handball, feature photos © Stummbillig, CSM Bucuresti

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