EHF Champions League

VELUX EHF Champions League 2011/12 season launches

Andrew McSteen

06 September 2011, 15:05

VELUX EHF Champions League 2011/12 season launches

The new season of the VELUX EHF Champions League launched today in Cologne, Germany, the venue for the third edition of the competition’s final round, the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

24 teams will compete in Europe’s premier club handball competition beginning at the end of September and culminating in the biggest club handball event of the year, the VELUX EHF FINAL4, on 26 and 27 May 2012 in the LANXESS arena, Cologne.

Third year for VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne

Peter Vargo, Managing Director, EHF Marketing GmbH said: "The launch of the new "VELUX EHF FINAL4 tram" will mean an even greater presence for both handball and the event over the next year in the sports city of Cologne as it transports many thousands of people to and from the LANXESS arena.

"We’re expecting huge demand for tickets when they go on sale on Wednesday, tickets for last season’s VELUX EHF FINAL4 were sold out weeks before the final participating teams were even known. We have invested a huge amount of time and resources into this event and I think the quality of the final product speaks for itself – a handball event fans simply do not want to miss."

Jürgen Roters, Lord Mayor of the City of Cologne, said: "Following successful events in 2010 and 2011, I am personally extremely proud as Lord Mayor of the city that this event will return to Cologne on 26 and 27 May 2012 for the third time in a row."

Stefan Löcher, Managing Director, LANXESS arena, said: "I am firmly convinced that in May 2012 many handball fans from around the world will return to Cologne and celebrate once more an unforgettable handball festival in the LANXESS arena and in the city.

"Already in the first two years, approximately 40,000 spectators have experienced a weekend of top class handball. This globally acclaimed tournament of the best teams once again underlines the LANXESS arena as a ‘handball temple’."

Pictures from the event

The following photographs are copyright of the EHF and can be downloaded and used for media purposes only.

More downloadable media material can be found in the EHF Media Downloads section online.

www.ehfTV.com has interviews from the event with Michael Wiederer (Secretary General, European Handball Federation), Stefan Lövgren (VELUX EHF FINAL4 Ambassador), Sören Colding (CEO, AG Kobenhavn), Xavier O'Callaghan (Manager, FC Barcelona Intersport), Pawel Papaj (Marketing Manager, KS Vive Targi Kielce), Robert Molines (Vice President, Montpellier Agglomeration HB), Kasper Sindt (the VELUX Group) and David Szlezak (VELUX EHF FINAL4 Manager).