Line-up for 2016/17 season set

Line-up for 2016/17 season set

All 16 teams for the VELUX EHF Champions League Groups A and B and further 10 sides for Groups C and D have been confirmed as the EHF Executive Committee in Vienna reached its decision on the teams taking part in the 2016/17 season.

There are just two places undecided, with the winners of two qualification tournaments joining Groups C and D.

In the 24th edition of the Europe's premier club competition the same playing system as last year will be used with 28 participants.

Nine requests granted, three not

After evaluating all 37 registered teams according to a criteria system that looked at eight different fields including past performances, venue, spectator, TV, marketing and media issues, the EHF Executive decided on the teams for Groups A and B, teams for Groups C and D and the qualification teams.

Based on the new criteria catalogue nine requests for additional places have been approved.

MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) and THW Kiel (GER) and Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) will join German runners-up SG Flensburg-Handewitt  and 12 national champions including the defending winners of the VELUX EHF Champions League Vive Tauron Kielce in Groups A and B.

Montpellier Handball (FRA), HC Metalurg (MKD), Team Tvis Holstebro (DEN) and HBC Nantes (FRA) will play in Group C or D alongside five national champions, second-placed Spanish team Naturhouse La Rioja and two qualifiers.

The remaining three requests from SKA Minsk (BLR) Saint-Raphael Var (FRA) and OIF Arendal (NOR) were not granted.

In total, there will be six former winners of the EHF Champions League (Barcelona, Kiel, Flensburg, Celje, Montpellier and Kielce) and at least two debutants (Nantes and Holstebro), when the group phase of the new season commence on 16-20 September.

The last two participants will only be known on 4 September following the qualification tournaments.

Next week’s draws

The draw for the qualification phase will take place on Wednesday 29 June at 13:00 hrs at the EHF Office in Vienna and will be streamed on Facebook live.

The group phase draw will follow on Friday 1 July at 13:00 hrs in Glostrup, Denmark and handball fans will be able to watch the event live on ehfTV.com.

A draw preview and the seeding list with pots will be published at the beginning of the coming week at eurohandball.com and ehfCL.com.

VELUX EHF Champions League 2016/17

Groups A&B
Telekom Veszprem (HUN)
Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER)
FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP)
KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL)
Paris Saint Germain HB (FRA)
HC Vardar (MKD)
HC PPD Zagreb (CRO)
Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (DEN)
HC Meshkov Brest (BLR)
RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO)
Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI)
IFK Kristianstad (SWE)
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)
MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN)
THW Kiel (GER)
Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)

Groups C&D
Naturhouse La Rioja (ESP)
HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR)
Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS)
Besiktas MOGAZ HT (TUR)
Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU)
Elverum HH (NOR)
Montpellier HB (FRA)
HC Metalurg (MKD)
Team Tvis Holstebro (DEN)
HBC Nantes (FRA)
Qualifier Group 1
Qualifier Group 2

Qualification Groups 1&2
ABC/UMinho (POR)
Tatran Presov (SVK)
Red Boys Differdange (LUX)
Achilles Bocholt (BEL)
Cocks (FIN)
Maccabi Castro Tel Aviv (ISR)
Gorenje Velenje (SLO)
Bregenz Handball (AUT)