The 2025–26 EHF European Cup was the 29th season of Europe's tertiary club handball tournament organised by the European Handball Federation (EHF), and the 6th season since it was renamed from the Challenge Cup to the EHF European Cup.
The winners were GRK Ohrid, who won their first title.
Format The tournament is played in a knockout format. Ties were played in a home-and-away format. Finalists played a total of seven rounds (Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Last 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and the Final).
Rankings Rankings for the following federations were based on performances of clubs from each respective country during the most recent three-year period. RankPlace distribution for the 2025/26 season eurohandball.comAssociationAverage pointsTeams1 Norway47.6722 Serbia36.0033 Greece33.6754 Czech Republic28.0025 Belarus28.0006 Italy17.6747 Austria17.0048 Turkey16.0059 Luxembourg14.00410 Bosnia and Herzegovina13.67511 Israel12.67212 Cyprus12.33313 Estonia11.00314 Kosovo10.33315 Netherlands10.00116 Belgium9.67117 Faroe Islands8.33218 Latvia8.33119 Lithuania7.33320 Montenegro4.33221 Azerbaijan4.002N/A Great Britain0.001
For the following federations the number of spots in the EHF European Cup depended on the number spots in the other two European competitions. AssociationAverage pointsTeams23 Romania48.50224 Hungary45.00225 Iceland35.33126 Russia31.00027 Sweden30.00028 Slovenia25.33229 Croatia25.00030 Switzerland22.00131 Slovakia20.67132 Finland11.67133 Ukraine8.33134 North Macedonia8.003
Qualified teams The full list of teams qualified for each stage of the 2025–26 EHF European Cup was announced on 8 July 2025.Final MEC System 2025/26 season eurohandball.com
Notes in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round: EC: European Cup title holders CW: Cup winners CR: Cup runners-up 2nd, 3rd, etc.: League position of the previous season
+Round 2 Förthof UHK Krems (2nd) Handball Tirol (5th, CW) HC Fivers WAT Margareten (4th) Kur HC Baki Sezoens Achilles Bocholt (2nd) RK Izviđač (1st) RK Konjuh Živinice (2nd) RK Leotar (3rd) A.C. European University Cyprus HCB Karviná (1st) HC Dukla Prague (3rd) SKKP Handball Brno (4th) Põlva Serviti (1st) Viljandi HC (3rd) H71 St.Í.F BK-46 (1st, CW) Olympiacos SFP (1st) Diomidis Argous (3rd) Bianco Monte Drama (4th) Oxford University Handball Club MOL Tatabánya KC (4th) Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar (6th) Holon Yuvalim HC Maccabi Tel Aviv Pallamano Conversano Cassano Magnago HC Teamnetwork Albatro Siracusa KH Rahoveci KH Kastrioti ZRHK Tenax Dobele Dragūnas Klaipėda (1st) VHC Šviesa Red Boys Differdange (1st) HC Berchem (2nd) RK Lovćen (1st) RK Budvanska rivijera (7th, CW) HV KRAS/Volendam GRK Ohrid (4th) GRK Tikveš (5th) Runar Sandefjord (3rd) Nærbø IL (5th) HC Buzău (3rd) RK Vojvodina (2nd) RK Metaloplastika Elixir (3rd) RK Dinamo Pančevo (4th) MŠK Považská Bystrica (2nd) RK Trimo Trebnje (3rd) RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (4th) HSC Suhr Aarau (5th) Beşiktaş JK (1st, CW) Nilüfer BSK (2nd) HC Motor (1st) +Round 1 roomz JAGS Vöslau (8th, CR) RK Vogošća (6th) RK Sloga Doboj (4th) Parnassos Strovolou Mistra (2nd) AC PAOK (5th) ESN Vrilissia (8th, CR) Balatonfüredi KSE (5th) Raimond Sassari KH Besa Famgas Granitas-Karys (2nd) HB Dudelange (3rd) Handball Esch (4th) HC Butel Skopje (6th) CSM Constanța (5th) Beykoz BLD SK (4th, CR) Spor Toto SK (5th) Depsaş Enerji AS SK (3rd)
Qualifying rounds Round 1 A total of 18 teams played in the first round. First leg matches were held on 6 and 7 September 2025, while second leg matches took place on 13 and 14 September 2025. The draw was on 15 July 2025.
Round 2 A total of 64 teams played in the first round. First leg matches were held on 11 and 12 October 2025, while second leg matches took place on 18 and 19 October 2025.
Round 3 A total of 32 teams played in the third round. First leg matches were held on 15 and 16 November 2025, while second leg matches took place on 22 and 23 November 2025.
Last 16 First leg matches will be held on 14 and 15 February 2026, while second leg matches will take place on 21 and 22 February 2026.
Results
Matches
Olympiacos SFP won 70–55 on aggregate.
RK Izviđač won 65–61 on aggregate.
GRK Ohrid won 60–45 on aggregate.
Nilüfer BSK won 58–57 on aggregate.
HCB Karviná won 58–55 on aggregate.
MOL Tatabánya KC won 71–64 on aggregate.
RK Celje Pivovarna Laško won 75–68 on aggregate.
HC Buzău won 63–51 on aggregate.
Quarter-finals First leg matches were held on 28 and 29 March 2026, while second leg matches took place on 4 and 5 April 2026.
Results
Matches
MOL Tatabánya KC won 68–66 on aggregate.
RK Celje Pivovarna Laško won 77–68 on aggregate.
GRK Ohrid won 56–50 on aggregate.
RK Izviđač won 72–71 on aggregate.
Semi-finals Results
Matches
GRK Ohrid won 55–54 on aggregate.
MOL Tatabánya KC won 68–67 on aggregate.
Finals Results
Matches
GRK Ohrid won 60–53 on aggregate.
2025–26 EHF European Cup GRK Ohrid(1st title)
See also 2025–26 EHF Champions League 2025–26 EHF European League 2025–26 Women's EHF Champions League 2025–26 Women's EHF European League 2025–26 Women's EHF European Cup
References
External links Official website