European top flight to grow to 28 teams

The VELUX EHF Champions League will get a fresh look in the 2015/16 season as the 119th EHF Executive Committee agreed to the introduction of a new playing system in the premier European club competition.

The number of teams participating in the group phase will increase by four to 28. The new structure of the competition will see two knock-out phases and maintain the culmination of the season, the VELUX EHF FINAL4, which will continue in its existing format.

Group Phase

The VELUX EHF Champions League will be played in four groups. Groups A and B will be played with eight teams each, it will be played in a round robin, home and away format.

The top team in each group will qualify directly for the quarter-finals, the bottom two in each group drop out of the competition and the remaining 10 teams qualify for the first knock-out phase.

In groups C and D, six teams will play in each group in a round robin format, playing both home and away. The top two teams in each group will then meet in a ‘semi-final’ play-off, with the two winners going through to the first knock-out phase. The remaining teams drop out of the competition.

Knock-out Phase 1 (Last 12)

12 teams will play home and away in the first knock-out phase, with the 10 teams qualified from groups A and B and the two teams qualified from groups C and D.

Knock-out Phase 2 (Quarter-finals)

The six winners of the matches in the first knock-out phase will join with the winners of groups A and B to play home and away for the right to play in the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

More details to follow

In a good time prior the 2015/16 season the EHF will decide on further details of the new playing system including the ranking and seeding system or qualification moduls.

The Executive also dealt with the introduction of new regulations in club competitions, including a catalogue of entry criteria for the open places to be awarded for the season 2014/15 for EHF Champions League competitions.

Opening up to new markets

The new format will open up the competition to more nations and new markets across the continent. It will also guarantee more top matches for Europe’s leading clubs and make the VELUX EHF Champions League more attractive to spectators, sponsors and the media.

On the way to its decision, the EHF Executive took into account the different viewpoints presented during the consultation process, but acknowledged that an evolution of the competition’s playing format was necessary.

At the same time, all clubs playing in the group phases of the competition have the chance to qualify for the knock-out phases and the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

Current format

The current playing format with 24 teams and a group phase followed by Last 16 matches, quarter-finals and the VELUX EHF FINAL4 was introduced in 2009/10 season. The next season will be its sixth and last edition.