Overview
- Effective 2026/27, the tournament moves to six groups of four, with group winners and runners-up advancing to a two-group main round and the play-off stage scrapped.
- The main round remains two groups of six, with the top four in each reaching the quarterfinals and lower finishers funneled to the European League.
- The European League will start with 32 teams without a qualifying round and will absorb clubs eliminated from the Champions League group and main rounds.
- Germany’s HBL is eyeing a third Champions League berth, with league CEO Frank Bohmann saying he is confident though the decision is not yet final.
- EHF president Michael Wiederer described the overhaul as a product upgrade that protects marquee home games, trims one round from the spring schedule, and strengthens the secondary competition.