The EHF Champions League is the most important club handball competition for men's teams in Europe and involves the leading teams from the top European nations. The competition is organised every year by EHF. The official name for the men's competition is the EHF Champions League Men.

The EHF coefficient rank decides which teams have access and in which stage they enter.

Eligibility and qualifying

Each year, the EHF publishes a ranking list of its member federations. The first 9 nations are automatically permitted to participate in the tournament with their national champion. The national federation ranked first place in the EHF European League, currently Germany, is awarded a second qualification berth for the domestic runner-up. The remaining six positions are designated through wildcards, with each national federation without two teams already qualified able to submit a single applicant. The wildcards are judged on five criteria: venue, TV, spectators, results in past EHF competitions and product management and digital.

Tournament format Current Each year, the EHF publishes a ranking list of its member federations. The first nine nations are allowed to participate in the tournament with their national champion. In addition, the tenth spot is reserved for the best ranked national federation of the EHF European League Men. The national federations are allowed to request upgrades for their teams eligible to play in the EHF European League and based on the criteria list the EHF Executive Committee approves six upgrades.

The EHF Champions League is divided into four stages. All participating teams enter the competition in the group phase.

The current playing system has been introduced before the 2020/21 season.

Since the 2020/21 season, the format sees two groups formed, with eight teams each in Group A and B. All the teams in each group play each other twice, in home and away matches (14 rounds in total). The first two teams in Groups A and B advance directly to the quarter-finals, while teams from positions three to six in each of these groups proceed to the playoff. The season is over for the last two teams in each group after the completion of the group phase. The pairings for the playoff are decided by the placement of the teams at the end of the group phase (A6 vs B3, B6 vs A3, A5 vs B4 and B5 vs A4). Each pairing is decided via a home and away format, with the aggregate winners over the two legs advancing to the quarter-finals. The higher ranked teams in the group phase have the home right advantage in the second leg. The pairings for the quarter-finals are also decided by the placement in the group phase (Winner of A5/B4 vs A1, Winner B5/A4 vs B1, Winner A6/B3 vs A2, Winner B6/A3 vs B2). The ties are decided through a home and away format, with the four winners over the two legs played in each pairing advancing to the EHF FINAL4. The higher ranked teams in the group phase have the home right advantage in the second leg. The official name for the men's EHF FINAL4 is the EHF FINAL4 Men. The participating EHF FINAL4 teams are paired for the semifinals through a draw and play the last two matches of the season over a single weekend at one venue. The two semi-finals are played on a Saturday, with the third-place game and final on a Sunday.

New format (2026–) The new format will see 24 teams being split into six groups of four teams. The two top-placed teams advance to the main round, which conists of two groups of six, where the top four-placed teams advance to the quarterfinals.

Brand Sound Much like the visual brand identity, the brand sound identity will acoustically connect the various leagues and tournaments which fit under the EHF umbrella. For the EHF Brand Sound, the authors got to the core of "The Sound of Handball" and created a handball sound DNA as the recurring element across all audio-visual applications. The jump shot was identified as the most iconic and defining handball movement.

Through video analysis and motion tracking, the jump shot was extracted into a rhythmic design pattern. There are numerous application opportunities of the brand sound, which will be developed over time. First implementations of the new EHF Brand Sound will be heard in the EHF Champions League. The premium character of this tournament was translated into a modern sound design through a new EHF Champions League sound logo and anthem. Both will come to life in the arena and will consistently complement all audio-visual communications.

The previous anthem for the EHF Champions League is "Hymn of the Champions", used until the end of the 2019/20 season and exclusively written by Austrian film composer Roman Kariolou in 2007. The recording played during the entry ceremony before every game was performed by the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Hernando.eurohandball.com Hymn of the Champions

Winners

#YearFinalSemi-final losersChampionScoreSecond placeEuropean Champions Cup (organised by IHF)11956–57Details Dukla Prague21–13 Örebro SK HG Copenhagen Paris UC21958–59Details Redbergslids IK18–13 Frisch Auf Göppingen FC Helsingør Dinamo București31959–60Details Frisch Auf Göppingen18–13 Aarhus GF Dinamo București Paris UC41961–62Details Frisch Auf Göppingen13–11 Partizan Bjelovar Dukla Prague IK Skovbakken51962–63Details Dukla Prague15–13 Dinamo București Frisch Auf Göppingen Ajax København61964–65Details Dinamo București13–11 Medveščak Zagreb GrasshopperAjax København71965–66Details SC DHfK Leipzig16–14 Budapest Honvéd Dukla Prague Aarhus GF81966–67Details VfL Gummersbach17–13 Dukla Prague SK Cuncevo Dinamo București91967–68Details Steaua București13–11 Dukla Prague Dynamo Berlin Partizan Bjelovar101969–70Details VfL Gummersbach14–11 Dynamo Berlin Steaua București RK Crvenka111970–71Details VfL Gummersbach17–16 Steaua București Sporting CP Partizan Bjelovar121971–72Details Partizan Bjelovar19–14 VfL Gummersbach MAI Moskva Tatran Prešov131972–73Details MAI Moskva26–23 Partizan Bjelovar SC Leipzig SoIK Hellas141973–74Details VfL Gummersbach19–17 MAI Moskva Oppsal IF Oslo Červená Hviezda Bratislava151974–75Details ASK Frankfurt/Oder19–17 Borac Banja Luka VfL Gummersbach Steaua București161975–76Details Borac Banja Luka17–15 Fredericia KFUM VfL Gummersbach Fredensborg/Ski171976–77Details Steaua București 21–20 CSKA Moscow Fredericia KFUM VfL Gummersbach181977–78Details SC Magdeburg28–22 Śląsk Wrocław Budapest Honvéd Calpisa191978–79Details TV Großwallstadt 30–28 (14–10 / 18–16) Empor Rostock Budapest Honvéd Dinamo București201979–80Details TV Großwallstadt21–12 Valur Dukla Prague Atlético de Madrid211980–81Details SC Magdeburg 52–43 (25–23 / 29–18) Slovan Ljubljana Lugi HF CSKA Moscow221981–82Details Budapest Honvéd 49–34 (25–16 / 18–24) TSV St. Otmar St. Gallen FC Helsingør TV Großwallstadt231982–83Details VfL Gummersbach 32–29 (15–19 / 13–14) CSKA Moscow Barcelona Metaloplastika241983–84Details Dukla Prague 38–38 (21–17 / 21–17) Metaloplastika VfL Gummersbach Budapest Honvéd251984–85Details Metaloplastika 49–32 (19–12 / 20–30) Atlético de Madrid FH Dukla Prague261985–86Details Metaloplastika 54–52 (29–24 / 30–23) Wybrzeże Gdańsk Steaua București Atlético de Madrid271986–87Details SKA Minsk 62–49 (32–24 / 25–30) Wybrzeże Gdańsk TUSEM Essen Metaloplastika281987–88Details CSKA Moscow 36–36 (18–15 / 21–18) TUSEM Essen Metaloplastika Elgorriaga Bidasoa291988–89Details SKA Minsk 61–53 (30–24 / 37–23) Steaua București SC Magdeburg HK Drott301989–90Details SKA Minsk 53–50 (26–21 / 29–27) Barcelona TUSEM Essen US Créteil Handball311990–91Details Barcelona 41–40 (23–21 / 20–17) Proleter Zrenjanin ETİ Bisküvi Dynamo Astrakhan321991–92Details Zagreb 50–38 (22–20 / 18–28) TEKA Santander Kolding IF Barcelona331992–93Details Zagreb 40–39 (22–17 / 22–18) SG Wallau-Massenheim Vénissieux Handball BarcelonaEHF Champions League341993–94Details TEKA Santander 45–43 (22–22 / 23–21) ABC Braga UHK West Wien USAM Nîmes351994–95Details Elgorriaga Bidasoa 56–47 (30–20 / 27–26) Zagreb THW Kiel Cantabria Santander361995–96Details Barcelona 46–38 (23–15 / 23–23) Elgorriaga Bidasoa Pfadi Winterthur THW Kiel371996–97Details Barcelona 61–45 (31–22 / 23–30) Zagreb RK Celje THW Kiel381997–98Details Barcelona 56–40 (28–18 / 22–28) Zagreb TBV Lemgo RK Celje391998–99Details Barcelona 51–40 (22–22 / 29–18) Zagreb RK Celje Portland San Antonio401999–00Details Barcelona 54–52 (28–25 / 29–24) THW Kiel RK Celje Zagreb412000–01Details Portland San Antonio 52–49 (30–24 / 25–22) Barcelona RK Celje THW Kiel422001–02Details SC Magdeburg 51–48 (23–21 / 30–25) Veszprém Kolding IF Portland San Antonio432002–03Details Montpellier 50–46 (27–19 / 31–19) Portland San Antonio RD Prule 67 Veszprém442003–04Details RK Celje 62–58 (34–28 / 30–28) Flensburg-Handewitt Ciudad Real SC Magdeburg452004–05Details Barcelona 56–55 (28–27 / 29–27) Ciudad Real RK Celje Montpellier462005–06 Details Ciudad Real 62–47 (19–25 / 37–28) Portland San Antonio Flensburg-Handewitt Veszprém472006–07Details THW Kiel 57–55 (28–28 / 29–27) Flensburg-Handewitt Portland San Antonio Valladolid482007–08Details Ciudad Real 58–54 (27–29 / 25–31) THW Kiel HSV Hamburg Barcelona492008–09Details Ciudad Real 67–66 (39–34 / 33–27) THW Kiel HSV Hamburg Rhein-Neckar LöwenNew Qualifying Format + Third Place Match 502009–10Details THW Kiel36–34 Barcelona Ciudad Real Chekhovskiye Medvedi512010–11Details Barcelona27–24 Ciudad Real Rhein-Neckar Löwen HSV Hamburg522011–12Details THW Kiel26–21 Atlético de Madrid AG København Füchse Berlin532012–13Details HSV Hamburg30–29 Barcelona Vive Kielce THW Kiel542013–14Details Flensburg-Handewitt30–28 THW Kiel Barcelona Veszprém552014–15Details Barcelona28–23 Veszprém Vive Kielce THW Kiel562015–16Details Vive Kielce39–38 Veszprém Paris Saint-Germain THW Kiel572016–17Details RK Vardar24–23 Paris Saint-Germain Veszprém Barcelona582017–18Details Montpellier32–26 HBC Nantes Paris Saint-Germain RK Vardar592018–19Details RK Vardar27–24 Veszprém Barcelona Vive Kielce602019–20Details THW Kiel33–28 Barcelona Paris Saint-Germain Veszprém612020–21Details Barcelona36–23 Aalborg Håndbold Paris Saint-Germain HBC Nantes622021–22Details Barcelona37–35 Vive Kielce THW Kiel Veszprém632022–23Details SC Magdeburg30–29 Vive Kielce Barcelona Paris Saint-Germain642023–24Details Barcelona31–30 Aalborg Håndbold THW Kiel SC Magdeburg652024–25Details SC Magdeburg32–26 Füchse Berlin HBC Nantes Barcelona662025–26Details Barcelona37–34 Füchse Berlin SC Magdeburg Aalborg Håndbold

Notes: Bold : Aggregate Bold-italic : Winner's goals

Records and statistics

Winning clubs

Performance by country (1957-2026) RankCountryWinnersRunners-upSemi-finalsTotal1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Total 65 65 130 260 Since 2009–10 EHF Champions League have Third Place Match. Notes Results until the Dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Three out of five titles were won by clubs from present day Belarus, while two titles and the additional three times runners-up were achieved by clubs from present day Russia. Results until the Breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Clubs from present day Serbia won the title two times and were runners-up additional two times, clubs from present day Croatia won the title once and were runners-up three times, clubs from present day Bosnia and Herzegovina won the title once and were runners-up once, while clubs from present day Slovenia were runners-up one time. Results until the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Three titles and two times runners-up were all achieved by HC Dukla Prague.

All-time top scorers