NEWS REPORT: The opening whistle of the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase 2016/17 will be blown in Asian part of Turkey as Besiktas will host ABC/UMinho in what will be both the season’s and Group D opener.
New season starts on Asian continent
Following negotiations with the right-holding TV stations the EHF and EHF Marketing GmbH have already confirmed the playing dates and times of majority games in the first nine playing rounds in all four groups of the VELUX EHF Champions League.
This means all 28 teams can comfortably work on their travel schedule up until Christmas.
All matches in the new season will be shown live on ehfTV.com.
The 24th edition of the continental top flight will paradoxically not start in Europe as the opening game on Wednesday 21 September between Besiktas Mogaz HT and ABC/UMinho will be hosted by Kocaeli Sehit Polis arena in Izmit in Asian part of Turkey.
Three more Round 1 games will follow on Thursday, while the rest will be played on Saturday and Sunday. The reigning winners Vive Tauron Kielce will start their title defence at HC Meshkov Brest on Saturday 24 September (17:00 hrs local time).
Check the confirmed playing schedule here.
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EHF / br