The 2025–26 Women's EHF Champions League was the 33rd edition of Europe's premier club handball tournament, running from 6 September 2025 to 7 June 2026.
Győri Audi ETO KC are the defending champions but lost in the final to Metz Handball, who won their first title.
Format The tournament used the same format as the previous seasons. The competition began with a group stage featuring sixteen teams divided into two groups. Matches were played in a double round-robin system with home-and-away fixtures, fourteen in total for each team. In Groups A and B, the top two teams automatically qualified for the quarter-finals, with teams ranked third to sixth entered the playoff round.
The knockout stage included four rounds: the playoffs, quarter-finals, and a final-four tournament comprising two semifinals and the final. In the playoffs, eight teams were paired against each other in two-legged home-and-away matches (third-placed in group A played sixth-placed group B; fourth-placed group A played fifth-placed group B, etc.). The four aggregate winners of the playoffs advanced to the quarterfinals, joining the top-two teams of Groups A and B. The eight quarterfinalist teams were paired against each other in two-legged home-and-away matches, with the four aggregate winners qualifying to the final-four tournament.
In the final four tournament, the semifinals and the final were played as single matches at a pre-selected host venue.
Rankings The rankings were based on the performances from the three most recent seasons.
Associations 1–9 had their league champion qualify for the group stage and could have applied up to two wildcards. The best-ranked association in the Women's EHF European League could have its league champion and runner-up qualified for the group stage and could have applied for one wildcard. Associations below the top 9 could have their league champion apply for a wildcard.
RankAssociationAverage pointsTeams1 Hungary210.3332 Norway198.3323 Denmark154.6734 France143.3325 Romania113.006 Russia113.0007 Germany99.3318 Slovenia86.339 Montenegro46.67
RankAssociationAverage pointsTeams10 Sweden29.00011 Turkey27.5012 Croatia27.50113 Poland26.00014 Czech Republic26.0015 All other associations0.00
Teams 19 teams applied for a place, with nine having a fixed place. The final list was announced on 24 June 2025.
The fixed place for Russia was vacant since the country and its clubs were not admitted to participate in the EHF competitions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On 5 August 2025, after previously monitoring HB Ludwigsburg's financial situation, the EHF decided to disqualify them after they failed to raise enough funds to play in the Champions League. They would be replaced by Sola HK.
+Participating teamsEntry roundTeamsFixed spots Győri Audi ETO KC (1st) Storhamar HE (1st) Team Esbjerg (2nd) Odense Håndbold (1st) Metz Handball (1st) CSM București (1st) RK Krim Mercator (1st) OTP Group Budućnost (1st)Wildcards FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (2nd) DVSC Schaeffler (4th) Sola HK (2nd) Ikast Håndbold (3rd) Brest Bretagne Handball (2nd) CS Gloria Bistrița (3rd) Borussia Dortmund (2nd) HC Podravka Vegeta (1st)
+Rejected upgrades Tertnes HE (5th) CS Minaur Baia Mare (4th)
+Withdrawn HB Ludwigsburg (1st)
Group stage
The 16 teams were drawn into two groups of eight. The draw took place on 27 June 2025.
In the group stage, teams were ranked according to points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). After completion of the group stage, if two or more teams have scored the same number of points, the ranking was determined as follows:
Highest number of points in matches between the teams directly involved; Superior goal difference in matches between the teams directly involved; Highest number of goals scored in matches between the teams directly involved; Superior goal difference in all matches of the group; Highest number of plus goals in all matches of the group; Drawing of Lots
This season, nine national associations are present. Sola HK will make their debut this season. Borussia Dortmund made their return to the Champions League for the first time since 2021–22. Ikast Håndbold and DVSC Schaeffler return after a one edition absence.
Group A
Group B
Knockout stage
Playoffs
Quarterfinals
Final four The final four was held at the MVM Dome in Budapest, Hungary on 6 and 7 June 2026.
Bracket
Final
Top goalscorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Henny Reistad Team Esbjerg1312 Sarah Bouktit Metz Handball1253 Danila So Delgado CS Gloria Bistrița1214 Anna Vyakhireva Brest Bretagne Handball1175 Elizabeth Omoregie CSM București1086 Dione Housheer Győri Audi ETO KC1067 Julie Scaglione Ikast Håndbold1038 Petra Simon FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria989 Stine Skogrand Ikast Håndbold91 Alicia Toublanc DVSC Schaeffler
See also 2025–26 EHF Champions League 2025–26 EHF European League 2025–26 EHF European Cup 2025–26 Women's EHF European League 2025–26 Women's EHF European Cup
References
External links Official website