The European Handball Federation has finalised the playing dates and confirmed the throw-off times for the first six rounds of the EHF Champions League Women group phase 2022/23.
As has been the case since the introduction of the current format for the EHF Champions League Women in the 2020/21 season, the group phase matches will take place in fixed time slots at weekends.
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria's group A clash with Odense Håndbold is one of two matches that will open the season on Saturday 10 September at 16:00 CEST. Both teams will be looking to make a positive start to the new season after they were eliminated in the play-offs last season. At 18:00 CEST, Vipers Kristiansand will begin their title defence in the Aquarama Kristiansand against former runners-up Brest Bretagne Handball.
On the first Sunday of the season, DHK Banik Most will play their first home game in the group phase since 2019 when they host SG BBM Bietigheim at 14:00 CEST. Nora Mørk's first EHF Champions League match for Team Esbjerg will undoubtedly headline the three games that will throw-off in the second timeslot on Sunday 11 September. The Danish side will face Györi Audi ETO KC, one of Mørk's former clubs, in a mouth-watering group B clash in the Blue Water Dokken at 16:00 CEST.
While the big clashes keep coming in round 2, group phase newcomers Storhamar Handball Elite and CS Rapid Bucuresti will play their first games at home in Europe's premier competition. Storhamar Handball Elite will host HC Lokomotiva Zagreb on Saturday 17 September at 18:00 CEST, while CS Rapid Bucuresti meet Metz Handball, who finished third at the EHF FINAL4 Women 2022, on Sunday 18 September at 16:00 CEST.
For a full overview of the throw-off times for the first six rounds of EHF Champions League Women matches, click here. The EHF will finalise the playing dates and throw-off times for rounds 7-9 in the coming weeks.
Round 1 fixtures (all times listed below are CEST)
Saturday 10 September 2022
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN) vs Odense Håndbold (DEN) – 16:00
Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR) vs WHC Buducnost BEMAX (MNE) – 16:00
Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) vs Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) – 18:00
HC Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) vs CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU) – 18:00
Sunday 11 September 2022
DHK Banik Most (CRO) vs SG BBM Bietigheim (GER) – 14:00
Team Esbjerg (DEN) vs Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) – 16:00
Metz Handball (FRA) vs Storhamar Handball Elite (NOR) – 16:00
CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Krim Mercator Ljubljana (SLO) – 16:00
