Vardar Learns Its Rivals in the Champions League, and the Elite Expands to 24 Teams

Vardar learns its rivals in the Champions League - starts away at Melsungen

Our champion is once again where it belongs - among Europe's elite. RK Vardar has learned its rivals for the new season in the Champions League and has been placed in Group B. The schedule is clear: Vardar first play away at Melsungen, then play two matches at home against Nantes and Wisła Płock, followed by an away game at Wisła, a home match with Melsungen, and finally an away game at Nantes. As a reminder - Vardar won Europe twice, in 2017 and 2019, at the Final Four in the "Lanxess Arena" in Cologne. The group isn't easy, but for a club with a history like this, tough rivals are a habit, not a surprise.

Butel strengthens with a goalkeeper from Vardar - Čanevski returns to old ground

While Vardar looks toward Europe, Skopje's Butel is quietly building its team. Goalkeeper Gradimir Čanevski has returned to the Butel Skopje goal, arriving straight from Vardar. Domestic transfers like these rarely make a big noise, but they're the backbone of our league - an experienced goalkeeper dropping down to a club with a smaller budget brings quality that isn't bought easily. For Butel, this is a signing they can compete with; for the domestic league, a sign that experience circulates where it should, instead of leaving for abroad.

The Champions League with a new format - from 16 to 24 teams

The biggest club competition in handball gets a new face. From the 2026/27 season, the men's Champions League expands from 16 to 24 teams, split into six groups. The top two from each group go to the main round, while the third and fourth-placed continue in the EHF European League. Title holders and record-winners Barcelona are in Group E, while the finalists of the last two seasons, Füchse Berlin, drew Veszprém, Porto and Partizan. More teams means more matches, more surprises - and a greater chance for some outsider to spoil the giants' plans.

The rise of Greek handball - from the beach to the EHF EURO

Balkan handball gains another loud voice. Greece qualified for the women's EHF EURO played in December, after a win against Spain in the qualifiers - a result the players themselves struggled to grasp at the moment. "We were so excited, so amazed. While we were playing the last match, we were fully focused and didn't realize we had qualified," recounts national-team player Eleni-Ioanna Kerlidi. The Greek success comes after a renewal of the team - the experienced ones finished, and young players who have long played together took up the baton. Another neighboring national team on the rise; the competition in the Balkans never sleeps.

EHF introduced a club ranking list - the numbers that decide the seeding

The European Handball Federation introduced an official club ranking list for the men's and women's club competitions. Clubs are ranked by achievement, that is by the points collected over the last three European seasons. The list doesn't decide participation, but it affects the criteria for access to the Champions League and the seeding at the draw. It was used for the first time precisely for the group-stage draw on June 26. At first glance, dull administration - but for a club like Vardar, every position higher on this list means an easier draw and a better path through Europe.