The 2019–20 EHF Challenge Cup was the 23rd edition of the European Handball Federation's third-tier competition for men's handball clubs, running from 5 October 2019 to 24 May 2020. On 24 April 2020 EHF announced that the competition would be cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Overview
Team allocation
Round 3 CSM București AHC Potaissa Turda Madeira Andebol SAD A.E.K. Athens H.C. HC Neva SPb Valur Red Boys Differdange MŠK Považská Bystrica RK Gračanica Halden Topphåndball Donbass RK Železničar 1949 JD Techniek Hurry-Up SGS Ramhat Hashron HC Beykoz BLD SKRound 2 HC Dicken HC Dobrudja Masheka Mogilev VHC Šviesa Vilnius KH Kastrioti HCB Karviná Olympia HC Proodeftikos Paphos BSV Bern SSSCJRO-1 Tiraspol Cassano Magnago HC Bregenz Handball ZRHK Tenax Dobele HC Tallinn Mahsul HC RK Maribor Branik Alingsås HK H71 Pas Aeropos Edessa HC Victor Handball Käerjeng RK Sloga Doboj Drammen HK Odesa HC RK Dinamo Pančevo Holon Yuvalim HC IFK Handball Helsinki Granitas Karys Kaunas HC Dukla Prague Livingston HC HB Dudelange HC Vogošća Poljine Hills HC Kauno Azuolas-KTU TJ Sokol Nové Veselí
Round and draw dates All draws were held at the European Handball Federation headquarters in Vienna, Austria. On 25 March, the EHF announced that no matches will be played before June due to the coronavirus pandemic.
RoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legRound 216 July 20195–6 October 201912–13 October 2019Round 315 October 201916–17 November 201923–24 November 2019Last 1626 November 20198–9 February 202015–16 February 2020Quarter-final18 February 202021–22 March 202028–29 March 2020Semi-finals25–26 April 20202–3 May 2020Finals5 May 202016–17 May 202023–24 May 2020
Round 2 Teams listed first played the first leg at home. The first legs were played on 5–6 October and the second legs were played on 12–13 October 2019. Some teams agreed to play both matches in the same venue.
Notes
1 Both legs were hosted by HC Dukla Prague. 2 Both legs were hosted by TJ Sokol Nové Veselí. 3 Both legs were hosted by Drammen HK. 4 Both legs were hosted by HC Tallinn. 5 Both legs were hosted by Odesa HC. 6 Both legs were hosted by H71. 7 Both legs were hosted by Livingston HC. 8 Both legs were hosted by Granitas-Karys. 9 Both legs were hosted by HCB Karviná. 10 Both legs were hosted by HC Victor.
Round 3 A total of 32 teams entered the draw for the third qualification round, which was held on Tuesday, 15 October 2019. The draw seeding pots were composed as follows:
Pot 1 Pot 2 RK Gračanica HC Dicken A.E.K. Athens H.C. Valur SGS Ramhat Hashron HC Red Boys Differdange JD Techniek Hurry-Up Halden Topphåndball
Madeira Andebol SAD AHC Potaissa Turda CSM București HC Neva SPb RK Železničar 1949 MŠK Považská Bystrica Beykoz BLD SK Donbass Bregenz Handball HC Vogošća Poljine Hills Masheka Mogilev HC Dukla Prague HCB Karviná TJ Sokol Nové Veselí Pas Aeropos Edessa ZRHK Tenax Dobele
Granitas Karys Kaunas HC Kauno Azuolas-KTU Drammen HK HC Victor RK Maribor Branik BSV Bern Alingsås HK Odesa HC
Teams listed first played the first leg at home. The first legs were played on 16–17 November and the second legs were played on 23–24 November 2019.
Notes
1 Both legs were hosted by Masheka Mogilev. 2 Both legs were hosted by Halden Topphåndball. 3 Both legs were hosted by Madeira Andebol SAD. 4 Both legs were hosted by BSV Bern. 5 Both legs were hosted by Beykoz BLD SK. 6 Both legs were hosted by SGS Ramhat Hashron HC. 7 Both legs were hosted by Bregenz Handball. 8 Both legs were hosted by A.E.K. Athens H.C.
Last 16 The draw seeding pots for the Last 16 Knockout round were composed as follows: The draw for the last 16 round was held on 26 November 2019.
Pot 1 Pot 2 A.E.K. Athens H.C. Valur Red Boys Differdange Madeira Andebol SAD
CSM București AHC Potaissa Turda HC Neva SPb HC Victor HC Dukla Prague HCB Karviná SGS Ramhat Hashron HC Halden Topphåndball
Drammen HK BSV Bern Alingsås HK Beykoz BLD SK
The first leg was scheduled for 8–9 February, while the second leg followed on 15–16 February 2020.
Notes
1 Both legs were hosted by Beykoz BLD SK.
Matches
A.E.K. Athens H.C. won 60–58 on aggregate.
HC Viktor won 73–68 on aggregate.
Valur won 57–55 on aggregate.
Halden Topphåndball won 46–45 on aggregate.
HCB Karviná won 60–57 on aggregate.
HC Dukla Prague won 66–56 on aggregate.
AHC Potaissa Turda won 69–68 on aggregate.
CSM București won 53–52 on aggregate.
Quarterfinals
The draw event was held at the EHF Office in Vienna on Tuesday 18 February 2020. The draw will determine the quarter-final and also the semi-final pairings. Teams listed first will play the first leg at home. For the quarter-finals, there is no seeding as all eight teams will be drawn from the same pot one after another. There will be also no country protection applied in the draw. The semi-final draw will follow using the quarter-final pairings.
The first quarter-final leg is scheduled for 21–22 March, while the second leg will follow on 28–29 March 2020.
The European Handball Federation announced on 13 March 2020, that the Quarter-final matches will not be held as scheduled due to the ongoing developments in the spread of COVID-19 across Europe. On 24 April 2020 the matches were cancelled.
Matches
Final four
The first semi-final legs was scheduled for 25–26 April 2020, while the second legs was supposed to follow on 2–3 May 2020, but it will be rescheduled and is foreseen to be played in an EHF FINAL4 format in one venue over two playing days. On 24 April 2020 the matches were cancelled.
Bracket
Semifinals
Third place game
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Damir Batinović Red Boys Differdange342 Milan Pavlović SGS Ramat Hasharon HC303 Matěj Klíma HC Dukla Prague28 Marek Monczka HCB Karviná Yakup Yasar Simsar Beykoz BLD SK
See also 2019–20 EHF Champions League 2019–20 EHF Cup
References
External links EHF Challenge Cup (official website)