2024–25 EHF European Cup explained

EHF European Cup
Year:2024–25
Sport:Handball
Teams:74
Website:ehfec.com
Previous:2023–24
Next:2025–26

The 2024–25 EHF European Cup is the 28th season of Europe's tertiary club handball tournament organised by European Handball Federation (EHF), and the 5th season since it was renamed from the Challenge Cup to the EHF European Cup.[1] Valur are the defending champions, but will not defend their title due to their involvement in this season's EHF European League.

Format

The tournament is played in a straight knockout format. The ties are held in a home and away format. Overall, there are seven rounds to navigate in order to win the trophy (Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Last 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final).

Rankings

The rankings are based on the performances of each club from a respective country from a three-year period.

Rank[2] AssociationAverage pointsTeams
1 Greece36.33align=center rowspan=15
2 Czech Republic29.67align=center rowspan=23
329.33
4 Cyprus23.33align=center rowspan=12
517.33align=center rowspan=23
614.67
7 Israel13.33align=center rowspan=11
8 Italy12.005
9 Turkey12.00align=center rowspan=14
1012.00align=center rowspan=15
11 Kosovo11.333
12 Finland9.672
RankAssociationAverage pointsTeams
13 Latvia9.671
147.674
15 Netherlands7.332
16 Belgium5.002
17 Bulgaria4.33align=center rowspan=10
184.002
19 Montenegro2.33align=center rowspan=11
20 Azerbaijan2.00align=center rowspan=12
21 Moldova0.330
N/A Great Britain0.001
N/A Everyone else0.000
Federations where their places in the EHF European Cup that depend on the number of places in the other two competitions.
RankAssociationAverage pointsTeams
22 Sweden48.00align=center rowspan=10
23 Norway45.33align=center rowspan=13
24 Romania42.50align=center rowspan=12
25 Croatia35.00align=center rowspan=11
2628.50align=center rowspan=10
27 Slovenia28.33align=center rowspan=13
28 Belarus18.000
29 Switzerland17.331
30 Slovakia16.33
31 Austria13.333
32 Iceland12.671
33 Ukraine9.67
N/A North Macedonia0.003

Qualified teams

The full list of teams qualified for each stage of the 2024–25 EHF European Cup was announced on 9 July 2024.[3] [4]

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:

Round 2
width=230px Förthof UHK Kremswidth=230px Handball Westwienwidth=230px HC Bakiwidth=230px Kur
HC Visé BM Sezoens Achilles Bocholt RK Gračanica RK Borac m:tel
RK Izviđač HK FCC Město Lovosice
HC Robe Zubří SKKP Handball Brno Põlva Serviti Mistra
H71 VÍF BK-46 HC Cocks
AC PAOK Olympiacos SFP AEK Athens HC London GD
Haukar Holon Yuvalim HC Junior Fasano SSV Brixen Handball
KH Besa Famgas KH Rahoveci ZRHK Tenax Dobele VHC Šviesa
Dragūnas Klaipėda Handball Esch HC Berchem HC Lovcen-Cetinje
HV KRAS/Volendam JD Techniek Hurry-Up RK Alkaloid GRK Ohrid
Runar Sandefjord ØIF Arendal AHC Potaissa Turda CS Minaur Baia Mare
RK Partizan AdmiralBet HC Metaloplastika Elixir HC Dinamo Pancevo MŠK Považská Bystrica
MRK Krka Celje Pivovarna Laško Pfadi Winterthur Beykoz BLD SK
Beşiktaş HC Motor
Round 1
width=230px width=230px RK Slobodawidth=230px RK Leotarwidth=230px RK Poreč
Viljandi HC Diomidis Argous Bianco Monte Drama 1986 Pallamano Conversano 1973
Black Devils Meran Raimond Sassari KH Kastrioti Granitas-Karys
HC Amber HB Dudelange Drammen HK GRK Tikveš
CSM București RK Jeruzalem Ormož Köycegiz BLD SK Spor Toto SK

Qualifying rounds

Round 1

A total of 20 teams are involved in the first qualifying round. The first leg matches are held on 14–15 September 2024, while the second leg matches are held on 21–22 September 2024. The draw was on 16 July 2024.[5]

Results

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Round 2

A total of 64 teams are involved in the second qualifying round. The first leg matches are held on 19–20 October 2024, while the second leg matches are held on 26–27 October 2024. The draw was on 16 July 2024.

Results

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Round 3

A total of 32 teams are involved in the third qualifying round. The first leg matches are held on 23–24 November 2024, while the second leg matches are held on 30 November to 1 December 2024. The draw is on 29 October 2024.

Results

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Last 16

The Last 16 first leg matches are held on 15–16 February 2025, while the second leg matches are held on 22–23 February 2025. The draw is on 3 December 2024.

Results

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Quarterfinals

The first leg matches are held on 22–23 March 2025, while the second leg matches are held on 29–30 March 2025. The draw is on 25 February 2025.

Results

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Semifinals

The first leg matches are held on 19–20 April 2025, while the second leg matches are held on 26–27 April 2025. The draw is on 25 February 2025.

Results

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Final

The first leg match is held on 17–18 May 2025, while the second leg match is held on 24–25 May 2025. The draw is on 29 April 2025.

Results

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See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Teams on the start line for EHF European Cup Men 2024/25. www.eurohandball.com.
  2. https://www.eurohandball.com/media/lf0hvm1g/placedistribution_final_24_25_men.pdf Place distribution for 2024/25
  3. Web site: Teams on the start line for EHF European Cup Men 2024/25. ehfec.eurohandball.com.
  4. https://ehfec.eurohandball.com/media/txfhf3vk/ehfec_men_system_2024_25.pdf
  5. Web site: Draws set four EHF club competitions in motion. www.eurohandball.com.