List of teams for DELO EHF Champions League 2021/22 finalised

The starting grid of the teams for the DELO EHF Champions League 2021/22 has been determined as the EHF Executive Committee has confirmed all teams starting in the upcoming edition of Europe’s premier competition.

The 16 participants will start in a group phase with two groups of eight and the playing days will remain to be scheduled for the weekends like in the past.

Alongside the reigning champions, Vipers Kristiansand, five other former trophy holders - Györi Audi ETO KC, Buducnost BEMAX, HC Podravka Vegeta, CSM Bucuresti and RK Krim Mercator - will enter the 29th edition of the competition, when the group phase commences on 11/12 September.

Ten teams (HC Podravka Vegeta, Odense Handbold, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria, Györi Audi ETO KC, Brest Bretagne Handball, BV Borussia 09 Dortmund, Buducnost BEMAX, Vipers Kristiansand, CSM Bucuresti and CSKA) pursued their places based on the national federations ranking as teams registered as national champions and a runner-up of the top-ranked country (HUN). The Executive Committee members approved all, but Borussia only with additional requirements.

Borussia subject to a deposit payment

As the German club did not play the play-off matches vs Metz in the previous season, a deposit of an amount of €140,000 in two instalments is requested from Dortmund to cover any financial damages or requests for refunds in case the club would not play certain matches or drop out of the competition again. In case no payments are requested neither from the club nor from the EHF in this relation the deposit will be transferred back to the club. The receipt of the two instalments (the first by 13 and the second by 27 July) is a precondition to uphold the participation of the club in the DELO EHF Champions League 2021/22, otherwise, the substitute club (DHK Banik Most) will automatically replace Borussia Dortmund. This would furthermore include that no participation is possible in the European League.

Six upgrade requests approved

Based on the proposal of the evaluation group the EXEC dealt with 10 requests for upgrades from the second tier EHF European League. Adhering to a criteria system that looked at different fields including venue, TV, spectators, results in past EHF competitions, product management and digital, the EXEC members confirmed six requests for upgrades of the EHF European League clubs to the continent’s top-flight - Team Esbjerg, Metz Handball, Rostov-Don, RK Krim Mercator, Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK and IK Sävehof.

The remaining four requests were not granted, however, the EXEC assigned DHK Banik Most as a substitute team.

Group phase draw

The group phase draw will be hosted on Friday 2 July at 11:00 CEST in Vienna and will be streamed live on EHFTV, the Home of Handball YouTube channel and on the Home of Handball Facebook page. The seeding list and the draw procedure of the draw event will be published in the upcoming days.

DELO EHF Champions League 2021/22:

CRO – HC Podravka Vegeta
DEN – Odense Håndbold
DEN – Team Esbjerg
FRA – Brest Bretagne Handball
FRA – Metz Handball
GER – BV Borussia 09 Dortmund *
HUN – FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria
HUN – Györi AUDI ETO KC
MNE – Buducnost BEMAX
NOR – Vipers Kristiansand
ROU – CSM Bucuresti
RUS – CSKA
RUS – Rostov-Don
SLO – RK Krim Mercator
SWE – IK Sävehof
TUR – Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK

* deposit required

Substitute team:
CZE – DHK Banik Most