Naerbo IL from Norway enter the competition in round 2 and will face Afturelding from Iceland. They are in search of their third consecutive final, having won the competition in the 2021/22 season but lost last season’s final to Vojvodina in May.
Round 1 pitted together two Czech sides. HC ROBE Zubri and SKKP Handball Brno will meet for the right to play Sidea Group Junior Fasano of Italy in round 2.
Some of the more familiar names in the competition include Slovakia's Tatran Presov, who will make the short trip across the border to Czech Republic in round 2 to face HK FCC Mesto Lovosice, and Ukraine's HC Motor, who play the winner of the round 1 match between Estonia's HC Tallinn and HC Käerjeng of Luxembourg.
The round 1 matches are played on 9-10 September (first leg) and 16-17 September 2023; round 2 which is scheduled for 14-15 October (first leg) and 21-22 October 2023.
The 32 victorious teams in round 2 will progress to round 3 which precedes the last 16 round. The competition maintains two-legged knockout format throughout, with the final taking place in May 2024.
Below are the draws for the first two rounds listed in full. You can also see all matches on the EHF European Cup competition page
EHF European Cup Men round 1
Handball Meran (ITA) vs HC Dinamo (SRB)
Besiktas (TUR) vs Donbas (UKR)
Mistra (EST) vs Bregenz Handball (AUT)
HC Tallinn (EST) vs HC Käerjeng (LUX)
HC ROBE Zubri (CZE) vs SKKP Handball Brno (CZE)
IFK Handball Helsinki (FIN) vs Spor Toto SK (TUR)
Holon Yuvalim HC (ISR) vs Neistin (FAR)
Diomidis Argous (GRE) vs FH Hafnarfjordur (ISL)
HC Berchem (LUX) vs Fivers (AUT)
Team Klaksvik (FAR) vs RK Sloboda (BIH)
Valur (ISL) vs Granitas-Karys (LTU)
HC Amber (LTU) vs SV Brixen Handball (ITA)
EHF European Cup Men round 2
Winner of Handball Meran (ITA)/HC Dinamo (SRB) vs HV KRAS/Volendam (NED)
Sabbianco Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP) vs HC Metaloplastika Elixir Sabac (SRB)
Sidea Group Junior Fasano (ITA) vs Winner of HC ROBE Zubri (CZE)/SKKP Handball Brno (CZE)
Viljandi HC vs MRK Krka
Winner of Diomidis Argous/FH Hafnarfjordur vs HC Partizan
Maccabi Rishon Le Zion vs Winner of Team Klaksvik/RK Sloboda
Riihimäen Cocks vs BSV Bern
RK Leotar vs ZRHK TENAX Dobele
FTC-Green Collect vs Parnassos Strovolou
Beykoz BSK vs HC Vise BM
Raimond Sassari vs Olimpiakos S.F.P.
Pölva Serviti vs Winner of Valur/Granitas-Karys
IBV Vestmannaeyjar vs HB Red Boys Differdange
VHC Sviesa vs Winner of Mistra/AUT Bregenz Handball
MRK Sesvete vs Kur
BK-46 vs Winner of Holon Yuvalim HC/Neistin
GRK Tikves vs Förthof UHK Krems
Azeryol HC vs Winner of HC Amber/SV Brixen Handball
Naerbo IL vs Afturelding
KH Besa Famgas vs Winner of Besiktas/Donbas
Handball Esch vs VIF
Runar Sandefjord vs Sakarya Büyüksehir BSK
MRK Trogir vs H71
Winner of HC Tallinn/HC Käerjeng vs Motor
Sezoens Achilles Bocholt vs HC Dragunas Klaipeda
HC Linz AG vs AC PAOK
CSA Steaua Bucuresti vs Hapoel Ashdod HC
CS Minaur Baia Mare vs Odesa
HCB Karvina vs Winner of HC Berchem/Fivers
KH Trepca-M vs RK Vogosca
HK FCC Mesto Lovosice vs Tatran Presov
Winner of IFK Handball Helsinki/Spor Toto SK vs RK Buducnost Podgorica
