Overview
- The European Handball Federation will expand the Champions League from 16 to 24 teams in 2026/27, and German clubs now warn the new entry model makes qualification unclear.
- Under the new system, the champions of the ten top nations get fixed spots, with extra places awarded through an upgrade that rates sporting results plus market size, arena capacity, brand strength and club operations.
- Germany can end up with one to three Champions League berths, yet no federation can exceed three, and title winners of the Champions League or European League can also claim a place through the upgrade.
- Club leaders voiced sharp concern, with Gummersbach’s Christoph Schindler calling the process “crazy” and “simply bad,” HBL chief Frank Bohmann warning of a conflict over three spots, and Kiel’s Viktor Szilagyi saying third place still offers no certainty.
- Final allocations will only be clear after the European League Final Four in Hamburg in late May, the Bundesliga finale on June 7, and the Champions League Final Four in Cologne in mid-June, while the HBL keeps four fixed European League slots and a maximum of seven European places overall.