Earlier this week, the draw for the qualification round was made. 24 teams are set to take part in 12 two-legged ties, which will be played on 30/31 August and 6/7 September 2025, to earn one of the remaining places in the 32-team group matches stage.
In today's draw for the group matches, 32 places were drawn into eight groups of four teams. 20 of those 32 places were taken by teams who qualified directly for the group matches, while the remaining 12 are reserved for the winners of the qualification round ties.
For the draw, the teams were divided into four pots of eight teams. Teams in pots 1 and 2 could be drawn to any of the eight groups without restriction. However, with teams unable to be drawn against others from the same country, the teams in pots 3 and 4 were drawn in separate steps to ensure the country protection rules applied. A full breakdown of the draw procedure can be found in the draw preview.
Defending champions SG Flensburg-Handewitt begin their bid for a third consecutive title in group A, where they will meet AHC Potaissa Turda of Romania and two winners from the qualification round.
Group B contains two teams who not only have won multiple EHF Champions League titles, but met in a thrilling semi-final at the EHF Finals Men 2025 just a matter of weeks ago. THW Kiel will be aiming for revenge after that 32:31 loss to Montpellier Handball.
The fourth participant at this year's EHF Finals Men, Germany's MT Melsungen, will be hoping for a similar season this time, but they will first have to negotiate a tricky group E. They will face 2021/22 champions Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Portugal, as well as FTC-Green Collect (HUN) of Hungary and the winner of the tie between KGHM Chrobry Glogów and HF Karlskrona.
As with recent seasons, the 32 teams in the group matches will face each of their fellow group members at home and away. The first round of group matches will take place on Tuesday 14 October and culminate on Tuesday 2 December.
The full draw for the group matches can be seen below.
2025/26 EHF European League group matches
GROUP A
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)
AHC Potaissa Turda (ROU)
Winner of Mors-Thy Handball (DEN) vs Saint-Raphael Var Handball (FRA)
Winner of Irudek Bidasoa Irun (ESP) vs ABC De Braga (POR)
GROUP B
Montpellier Handball (FRA)
REBUD KPR Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski (POL)
THW Kiel (GER)
Winner of BSV Bern (SUI) vs MRK Čakovec (CRO)
GROUP C
Fraikin BM Granollers (ESP)
RD LL Grosist Slovan (SLO)
Winner of SAH - Skanderborg (DEN) vs Marítimo da Madeira Andebol SAD (POR)
Winner of CS Minaur Baia Mare (ROU) vs Stjarnan (ISL)
GROUP D
FC Porto (POR)
Knattspyrnufélagið Fram (ISL)
Winner of Elverum Håndball (NOR) vs Bathco BM Torrelavega (ESP)
Winner of RK Gorenje Velenje (SLO) vs HC Kriens-Luzern (SUI)
GROUP E
MT Melsungen (GER)
FTC-Green Collect (HUN)
Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR)
Winner of KGHM Chrobry Glogów (POL) vs HF Karlskrona (SWE)
GROUP F
IFK Kristianstad (SWE)
HC Vardar 1961 (MKD)
Fenix Toulouse (FRA)
Winner of MRK Dugo Selo (CRO) vs MRK Sesvete (CRO)
GROUP G
Fredericia Håndboldklub (DEN)
Tatran Prešov (SVK)
Winner of RECKEN - TSV Hannover-Burgdorf (GER) vs HC Alkaloid (MKD)
Winner of IK Sävehof (SWE) vs HK Malmö (SWE)
GROUP H
Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI)
RK Nexe (CRO)
ABANCA Ademar León (ESP)
Winner of RK Partizan (SRB) vs HCB Karviná (CZE)
To watch the draw again, click the video below or head over to the Home of Handball YouTube channel.
Photo © Sascha Klahn/saschaklahn.com
