The inaugural season of the EHF European Cup Men, the competition which replaced the EHF Challenge Cup from 2020/21, will get underway with qualification round 2 matches this weekend.

Originally planned for October, the opening stage of the tournament was rescheduled to take place one month later, and will now throw off with two double headers and three first-leg matches.

• Ystad IF (SWE) will host the first match of the new-look competition as they welcome VHC Sviesa Vilnius (LTU); they will play the second leg in the same venue on Sunday
• in the other double header, Odessa (UKR) will face RK Gracanica (BIH) in Mayaki on Saturday and Sunday
• three more double headers are scheduled for next weekend
• nine teams advanced to the next stage as their round 2 matches could not be played due to the current Covid-19 situation
• 13 teams were directly seeded into round 3, which is to take place from 12 to 19 December

CSM to start away in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Among the teams who start their European Cup campaigns this week are reigning Challenge Cup champions CSM Bucuresti, who will travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet MRK Sloga Gornju Vakuf Uskoplje on Saturday.

On the same day, Cocks, participants in the VELUX EHF Champions League the two past seasons, will play their first-leg match at home in Riihimaki against HC Dragunas Klaipeda.

RK Gorenje Velenje, who have vast experience at playing at different levels in Europe, will also start on Saturday at home as they host Ego Handball Siena.