Women's EHF Champions League 2015/16 participants announced
On the fringes of the EHF EURO 2016 draw in Krakow, Poland the EHF Executive Committee has decided on the line-up of the teams for the Women's EHF Champions League 2015/16.
14 teams have been directly seeded for the group matches stage, while further eight sides including the 2013 and 2014 champions Györi Audi ETO KC will vie for the two remaining places in the qualification.
Five former champions – Hypo Niederösterreich (AUT), HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO), RK Krim Mercator (SLO), Larvik (NOR) and Buducnost (MNE) have been confirmed for the group matches, while at least three newcomers - Fleury Loiret Handball (FRA), Rostov-Don (RUS) and CSM Bucharest (ROU) will be on the starting grid of the competition's first round on 16-18 October 2015.
Among the teams approved for the qualification tournaments (12/13 September) only two other teams besides Györ can boast past participation in the top 16 of the continent – BNTU BelAz Minsk (BLR) and the last season's quarter-finalists HCM Baia Mare (ROU). The five remaining qualification teams will be eyeing their debut in the European top flight.
Based on the new criteria system the Executive Committee backed two requests for additional places – Baia Mare and Glassverket (NOR), while five other requests - Lada Togliatti (RUS), Metz Handball (FRA), Vistal Gdynia (POL), Muratpasa Belediyesi SK (TUR), Indeco Conversano (ITA) have been rejected.
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Playing system
Already in the previous season a revamped played system has been introduced. Exactly like the last year there will be just one qualification round and the main round will consist of twelve teams (two groups of six).
The top four teams from each main round group will then qualify for the quarter-final knock-out phase, before the final remaining four teams compete in the season high point, the Women's EHF FINAL4 on 7/8 May 2016 in Budapest.
Draw on Friday 26 June
The seeding list and the draw procedure of the first draw event of the season will be published at the beginning of next week.
The draw for the qualification tournaments in the Women's EHF Champions League will take place on Friday 26 June at 18:30 hrs and for the Group Matches at 19:15 hrs in Vienna, Austria. Live streaming will be available on ehfTV.com.
Women's EHF Champions League 2015/16:
Teams seeded for the group matches (14):
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN)
Buducnost (MNE)
Larvik (NOR)
FC Midtjylland (DEN)
WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
RK Krim Mercator (SLO)
CSM Bucharest (ROU)
Thüringer HC (GER)
Rostov-Don (RUS)
IK Sävehof (SWE)
Hypo Niederösterreich (AUT)
HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO)
Fleury Loiret Handball (FRA)
MKS Selgros Lublin (POL)
Teams in qualification (8):
Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Team Esbjerg (DEN)
BNTU BelAz Minsk (BLR)
Sercodak Dalfsen (NED)
WHC Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB)
Ankara Yenimahalle (TUR)
Glassverket (NOR)
HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
TEXT: EHF / jjr
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