19.12.2020, 04:30
EXEC mandates possible adaptions to EHF CL playing schedule

NEWS: EHF reserves the right to qualify all 16 group phase teams to the knockout stage of the competition

The EHF Executive Committee has opened the door for a possible adaption to the playing schedule of the EHF Champions League Men as well as of the DELO EHF Champions League in the 2020/21 season.

The decision was taken at the EXEC meeting on Saturday in Herning at the Women’s EHF EURO 2020 and followed a careful analysis of the competitions and its status of matches by the EHF Office.

As of 19 December, 60 of 80 matches have been played in the EHF Champions League Men. Two more are scheduled for the coming days.

While the efforts to re-schedule postponed matches were intensified over the past weeks, guidelines and procedures have been worked on to find solutions in case postponed matches cannot be played until 4 March 2021 (until 14 February for the DELO EHF Champions League) which marks the end of the group phase.

Should this become a necessity, the EHF Executive Committee has given the competitions department at the EHF Office the mandate for the following process.

In case there are group phase matches that cannot be played until 4 March (until 14 February for the DELO EHF Champions League) all 16 clubs of the group phase are qualified to the Last 16 and that stage of the competition will be played with 16 instead of eight teams. The pairings 7 vs 2 and 8 vs 1 will be added.

Group phase matches that are not played at all for whatever reason will be assessed and points will be awarded according to the circumstances that led to the fact that a match could not be played.

Assessments will be made, if no date for a postponed match can be set by 25 January. The outcome of the assessment is planned to be communicated by 28 January 2021. The dates for the DELO EHF Champions League will be set accordingly.

The same procedure will also be in place for the EHF European League Men and Women, but no enlargement of the knockout phase is foreseen.          

It was underlined during the EXEC meeting that a successful re-scheduling of matches and therefore a decision on court remains the prime objective.

However, it is of core importance for all parties involved to have a sporting chance to qualify further in the top competitions of European handball.

TEXT: European Handball Federation