Vardar beat Nexe 33:27 and is one step from the final in Ohrid

The Macedonian champion did not have it easy. In the first half Croatia's Nexe matched them well and led by a single goal at the break, 16:15, while Ivan Cupic still could not count on Lazarevski and several other important names. The second half was a different story - the „red and blacks” took over the rhythm and got to 33:27 at the „Krste Andonovski” memorial tournament in Ohrid. Vardar had earlier beaten Olympiacos comfortably, but this match demanded sweat. For a place in the final they now play Slovenia's Trimo Trebnje, who beat the Greeks 25:24, while in the other group Ohrid meet Zagreb. An August tournament does not bring a trophy that means anything, but it does bring an answer to the question of how deep the bench is - and there Vardar still has holes.

The Champions League expands to 24 teams, Partizan returns after 13 years

The EHF Champions League starts on 9 September with the biggest change since all European competitions were reformed before the 2020/21 season. The group stage now has 24 teams instead of 16, split into six groups of four, followed by a main round, quarter-finals and the Final Four. The top two from each group go to the main round, the remaining 12 continue in the EHF European League play-offs. The result: every team at the Final Four will have played exactly 18 matches, which was not the case before. The region is well represented - Zagreb opens the season against Celje in a neighbours' derby, and Partizan returns to the elite after a 13-year break, straight away against finalists Fuchse Berlin in Belgrade. Barcelona, defending the title, start against debutants Aarhus.

A flag at the medal ceremony cost 12,500 euros

The EHF Court of Appeal upheld the 10,000 euro fine for the Croatian Handball Federation, of which 2,500 is suspended for two years, and additionally fined player Matej Mandic 2,500 euros. The reason: at the medal ceremony of EHF EURO 2026, Mandic unfurled a flag that is not part of EHF protocol and had not been approved under the applicable rules. The federation lost its appeal, the EHF partly won its own. There are still 21 days to approach the arbitration court. For a sport that constantly complains it does not get enough attention, the loudest news from the European governing body in August is a disciplinary decision about a flag - and that says something about priorities. Separately, the EHF also opened an investigation into an alleged racist insult aimed at a player in the EHF European Cup final between RK Ohrid and Tatabanya.

Germany beat Slovenia 36:27 at the M18 EHF EURO

The final in Belgrade lasted exactly 15 minutes as a contest. Slovenia, the only unbeaten team at the tournament, made use of goalkeeper Miklavcic's saves and led 8:5, forcing the German coach into an early timeout. Then came a 12:3 run and it was all decided - Germany led by six at half-time and stretched it to nine after the break. Final score 36:27 and Germany's first gold since 2021. Top scorer was Vincent Faciev with 8 goals from 11 attempts, and the tournament MVP is Slovenian right back Jaka Podvrsic. Slovenia played a final in this category for the first time - and despite the scoreline, this is a generation worth watching.

The „Ckembari” are boycotting the Regional League: three home games in seven days

The supporters' group of RK Pelister announced it will not attend matches in the new Regional League as an organised group. The reasoning is concrete and does not sound like a whim: „In just seven days three home matches are scheduled, which in our view further devalues the significance of the competition itself.” The message to their own club is sharper still - that it should not treat the league as a priority either. At the same time, Lino Cervar appeared before the Bitola crowd for the first time in a test match against Pelister 2, which ended 39:17, and the stands were full only to greet the new coach. On 23 August Pelister host Partizan in that same league - with no organised support in the stands. When the fixture list is put together so that even the most loyal say the competition is not serious, the problem is not with the fans.