The 2021/22 season of the EHF European Cup Men, the third-tier competition in European club handball, will get underway with 13 round 1 matches this weekend.

20 teams from 18 countries are ready to start on Saturday and Sunday, and the schedule features seven first-leg games as well as three double-headers.

• SG Insignis Handball Westwien (AUT) vs SGAU-Saratov (RUS), Granitas-Karys (LTU) vs RK Zeleznicar 1949 (SRB), and Handball Kaerjeng (LUX) vs KH Vellaznimi (KOS) are scheduled as double-headers to be held in Russia, Lithuania and Luxembourg, respectively
• four more double-headers will take place the following weekend, on 18 and 19 September, along with seven second-leg games
• title holders AEK Athens are not among the contenders this time, as they will be trying their luck in the EHF European League Men
• the duel between KH Pristina (KOS) and Sparkasse Schwaz Handball Tirol (AUT) had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, with the Austrian team proceeding to round 2
• as many as 39 teams will enter the competition in round 2, and four more will join the race in round 3

Two Balkan nations with extra presence

Only two nations, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, will be represented by two clubs in the matches this weekend.

While Zeleznicar will travel to Lithuania for a double-header with Granitas, fellow Serbian side RK Metaloplastika Sabac, runners-up in the Challenge Cup in 2014, are set to play their first-leg game against Alingsas HK in Sweden.

Meanwhile, MRK Sloga Doboj head to Estonia for the game against Viljandi HC, and another Bosnian team, RK Sloboda, will host their Greek rivals Bianco Monte Drama 1986 in Tuzla.