The Super Handball League Men is a multinational handball competition for men's teams from Belgium and the Netherlands, which started in January 2008 under the name BENE-LIGA. Between 2010 and 2014, Luxembourg teams also participated in the tournament that was then called Benelux League.
History The idea of setting up a collaboration between the Belgian and Dutch top clubs dates back to the 1980s. However, as in many other sports, it was mainly talked about. However, in 2006 it all became more concrete. A system was devised to better frame the friendly matches from the preparation period, and a knock-out system was set up: quarter-finals in round-trip matches between the top 4 from Belgium and the Netherlands, and the winners would compete in a Final 4. At the end of 2007 it was announced that eight teams from the Netherlands and Belgium would compete against each other. The goal was to start a full Bene Liga competition in 2010 with more teams from the Low Countries.
The first edition of the Bene Liga was played in 2008 as a kind of cup formula. On the Belgian side, the first was kicked off by Initia Hasselt, Tongeren, Neerpelt and KV Sasja HC. Volendam, Aalsmeer, Hellas and Bevo HC from the Netherlands took part. The start of the BENE-Liga was, symbolically, announced in Baarle-Hertog. Evert ten Napel, a well-known Dutch sports reporter led the press conference. In the first edition of the BENE-Liga, KV Sasja became champion.
2023–24 season Below is the list of clubs that are members of the 2023–24 BENE-League Handball season.
Country Team City Venue BelgiumSezoens Achilles Bocholt Bocholt Sportcomplex De Damburg KTSV Eupen Eupen Sportcentrum Eupen Filou Izegem Izegem Sporthal De KrekelHubo Handbal Hasselt, Tongeren Sporthal Alverberg (Hasselt), Eburons Dôme (Tongeren) Sporting Pelt Neerpelt Dommelhof HC Visé BM Visé Hall Omnisports de Visé Netherlands Green Park/Aalsmeer Aalsmeer Sporthal De Bloemhof Herpertz/BEVO HC Panningen SportArena De Heuf Handbal Houten Houten Sportcentrum The DomeDrenth Groep/Hurry Up Zwartemeer Succes Holidayparcs Arena KEMBIT-LIONS Sittard-Geleen Stadssporthal Sittard KRAS/Volendam Volendam Sporthal de Opperdam
Below is the list of winners, finalists and other participants of Final Four BENE-League tournaments. YearHostFinalMatch for third placeChampionScoreSecond PlaceThird PlaceScoreFourth Place2008DetailsLommel KV Sasja HC 24-31 Eurotech/Bevo HC Initia Hasselt 31–29 United HC Tongeren 2008–09DetailsTongeren FIQAS/Aalsmeer 33-27 KRAS/Volendam Initia Hasselt 29-27 KV Sasja HC2009–10DetailsLuxembourg City KRAS/Volendam 33-30 Achilles Bocholt Pals groep/E&O 34-33 United HC Tongeren2010–11DetailsHoboken KRAS/Volendam 32-29 HC Berchem United HC Tongeren32-22 Initia Hasselt2011–12DetailsVolendam KRAS/Volendam 30-24 Initia Hasselt United HC Tongeren33-23 OCI-LIONS2012–13DetailsHouthalen-Helchteren Achilles Bocholt35-29 KRAS/Volendam Initia Hasselt30-29 Kremer/Hurry-Up2013–14DetailsDifferdange Initia Hasselt31-18 OCI-LIONS HC Achilles Bocholt31-28 KRAS/Volendam2014–15DetailsHasselt OCI-LIONS27-25 Targos Bevo HC United HC Tongeren24–22 Hubo I. Hasselt2015–16DetailsSittard Hubo I. Hasselt35-34 OCI-LIONS Targos Bevo HC32-22 QubiQ A. Bocholt2016–17DetailsHasselt Achilles Bocholt38-37 OCI-LIONS Callant Tongeren32-22 Hubo I. Hasselt2017–18Details's-Hertogenbosch Achilles Bocholt34-31 OCI-LIONS FIQAS/Aalsmeer29-28 Hubo I. Hasselt2018–19DetailsAntwerp Achilles Bocholt35-34 HC Visé BM OCI-LIONS32-22 Green Park/Aalsmeer2019–20Details's-Hertogenbosch Achilles Bocholt KEMBIT-LIONS Herpertz Bevo HC HC Visé BM2020–21Details Season canceled2021–22Details's-Hertogenbosch KEMBIT-LIONS29-22 Sezoens Achilles Bocholt Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played.2022–23DetailsBocholt Sezoens Achilles Bocholt37-30 KEMBIT-LIONS Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played.
Hosts YearFinal four hostHallDate2008 LommelSportcentrum de Soeverein 30 Juny–1 July 20082008–09 TongerenEburons Dôme 30-31 May 20092009–10 Luxembourg CityCoque Sport Cente 20-21 February 20102010–11 HobokenSporthal Sport VIII 26-27 February 20112011–12 VolendamSporthal de Opperdam 3-4 March 20122012–13 Houthalen-HelchterenSportpark Lakerveld ?2013–14 DifferdangeDifferdange Sports Center ?2014–15 HasseltSporthal de Alverberg 7-8 February 20152015–16 SittardTopsporthal Fitland XL Sittard 6-7 February 20162016–17 HasseltSporthal de Alverberg 25-26 February 20172017–19 's-HertogenboschMaaspoort 17-18 March 20182018–19 AntwerpLotto Arena 30-31 March 20192019–20 's-HertogenboschMaaspoort 14-15 March 20202019–20 Season canceled2021–22 's-HertogenboschMaaspoort 26-27 March 20222022–23 BocholtSportcomplex De Damburg 18 March 2023
Records and statistics By club ClubWonRunner-upYears wonYears runner-up Bocholt2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 20202010, 2022 Volendam2010, 2011, 20122009, 2013 Hasselt2014, 20162012 Limburg Lions2015, 20222014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 Aalsmeer2009 Sasja2008 Bevo HC2008, 2014 Berchem2011 HC Visé BM2019
By country Club / NationWonRunner-upFinals Total 13 13 26
External links Official website