Top European Handball and Hockey Leagues Guide

Germany and Portugal have been identified as the strongest men’s handball leagues in Europe as of 2025. This standing is highlighted by their capacity to secure a high number of berths in continental competition.

Germany’s Handball-Bundesliga and Portugal’s top-tier league, Andebol 1, are the only two leagues in Europe capable of entering four teams into the EHF European League for the 2025/26 season.

EHF European League 2024/25 Composition

The EHF European League Men 2024/25 features a diverse array of clubs from across the continent. High-ranking clubs in the competition include SG Flensburg-Handewitt, Montpellier Handball, THW Kiel, and MT Melsungen.

The competition structure involves various stages, including qualification rounds and a special path. Clubs that participated in the qualification phases include HC Izvidac from Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABC de Braga from Portugal, Elverum Håndball from Norway, and FTC-Green Collect from Hungary.

Other teams involved in the qualification stages were GC Amicitia Zürich from Switzerland, IFK Kristianstad from Sweden, Maritimo da Madeira Andebol/SAD from Portugal, Mors-Thy Håndbold from Denmark, RK Bjelin Spacva Vinkovci from Croatia, and RK Trimo Trebnje from Slovenia.

The group matches featured teams such as Abanca Ademar Leon and Bathco Bm. Torrelavega from Spain, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg from Denmark, CSM Constanta from Romania, and FH Hafnarfjordur from Iceland.

Additional participants in the group stages included Górnik Zabrze and KGHM Chrobry Glogow from Poland, HC Vardar 1961 from North Macedonia, HCB Karvina from the Czech Republic, IK Sävehof from Sweden, Kadetten Schaffhausen from Switzerland, MRK Sesvete and RK Nexe from Croatia, RK Gorenje Velenje from Slovenia, TATRAN Presov from Slovakia, and Valur from Iceland.

Advanced Stages of the 2024/25 Season

The main round of the 2024/25 competition included Fraikin BM. Granollers from Spain, MOL Tatabanya KC from Hungary, Vojvodina from Serbia, and Ystads IF HF from Sweden.

The quarter-finals saw matches involving Bidasoa Irun from Spain, FC Porto from Portugal, GOG from Denmark, and Limoges Handball from France.

The play-offs featured Fenix Toulouse and Limoges Handball from France, HC Kriens-Luzern from Switzerland, Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Portugal, and VfL Gummersbach from Germany.

European Handball Landscape

Beyond the EHF European League, several other national leagues maintain a significant presence in the sport. These include the France Starligue, the Swedish Elitserien, and the Poland Superliga.

The current competitive environment shows a concentration of strength in the German and Portuguese systems, as evidenced by their preferential entry quotas for the 2025/26 European season.