Club season 2020/21 decisions released

Meeting on the fringes of the draws for the new EHF Champions League and Men’s EHF EURO 2020 in 2020, the EHF Executive Committee confirmed the first of a number of important decisions required for the 2020/21 club season.

New place distribution system

With the revamp of Europe’s top club competitions after the next season, including the introduction of a 16-team EHF Champions League, a new ‘European Handball League’ on the second tier and the re-named EHF Cup on the third tier, a new system for the distribution of teams is required.

The Executive Committee confirmed the creation of a new points distribution system, which combines the EHF Champions League and European Handball League but excludes results in the third tier, EHF Cup competition, which will have its own system.

From 2020/21, places will be distributed as follows:

Men’s and Women’s EHF Champions League (16 teams)

•    Places 1 to 9: Nations ranked 1-9 (1 place per federation)
•    Place 10: From European Handball League (place reserved for team from nation winning most EHL titles over past three seasons)
•    Places 11-16: Places decided by EHF Executive Committee based on new criteria catalogue (see below)

Men’s European Handball League (24 teams in Group Phase)

•    12 teams with guaranteed place in the Group Phase:
- 6 teams from a federation without a place in the EHF Champions League according to ranking list (nations ranked 10+)
- 5 teams from nations ranked 1-9 (second or third ranked teams in national leagues)
- 1 team for nation from EHF Cup (place reserved for team from nation winning most EHF Cup titles over past three seasons)

•    12 teams from qualification:
- 4 teams guaranteed place in European Handball League Round 2
- 20 teams versus 20 teams in European Handball League Round 1

Women’s European Handball League (16 teams in Group Phase)

•    4 teams with guaranteed place in the Group Phase (Nations ranked 1-4)
•    8 teams with guaranteed places in Qualification Round 3
•    8 teams with guaranteed places in Qualification Round 2
•    24 teams versus 24 teams in Qualification Round 1

Appointment to view: playing times confirmed

With Europe’s top men’s club competitions to be played mid-week from 2020/21 – European Handball League on Tuesday evenings and Men’s EHF Champions League on Wednesdays and Thursdays – the time slots for these games have now been decided.

Offering fans an ‘appointment to view’ each week, matches across the top two tiers of the men’s competitions will be played at 18:45 and 20:45 (CET).

More space for spectators guaranteed

The minimum requirements for arenas in the Men’s EHF Champions League have been increased.

From the start of the 2020/21 season, arenas will need to have spectator stands on all four sides and the minimum size has been increased from 2,500 to 4,000 spectators. This requirement has a transition period of four seasons (2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24).

Official playing floors also in Men’s European Handball League
 
Mandatory across the Men’s EHF Champions League from the start of the 2006/07 season, the revamped Men's European Handball League will also see the requirement for an official EHF playing floor in the Group Phase from the start of the 2020/21 season to ensure a professional look for this brand new competition.

New selection criteria

The number of criteria for the evaluation of clubs will be reduced from eight categories to five categories in the catalogue. The categories are: venue, TV and digital, spectators, results in past EHF competitions and product management by club. All five categories have the same value. This is valid for both the Men’s and Women’s Champions League.

Further procedures for decisions relating to women’s competitions

Additional decisions relating to the women’s top competitions are currently in preparation and will be dealt with subsequently after internal coordination.