The 2024–25 Women's EHF Champions League is the 32nd edition of Europe's premier club handball tournament, running from 7 September 2024 to June 2025.
Format
The tournament will run using the same format as the previous three seasons. The competition begins with a group stage featuring sixteen teams divided into two groups. Matches are played in a double round-robin system with home-and-away fixtures, fourteen in total for each team. In Groups A and B, the top two teams automatically qualify for the quarter-finals, with teams ranked 3rd to 6th entering the playoff round.
The knockout stage includes four rounds: the playoffs, quarter-finals, and a final-four tournament comprising two semifinals and the final. In the playoffs, eight teams are paired against each other in two-legged home-and-away matches (third-placed in group A plays sixth-placed group B; fourth-placed group A plays fifth-placed group B, etc.). The four aggregate winners of the playoffs advance to the quarterfinals, joining the top-two teams of Groups A and B. The eight quarterfinalist teams are paired against each other in two-legged home-and-away matches, with the four aggregate winners qualifying to the final-four tournament.
In the final four tournament, the semifinals and the final are played as single matches at a pre-selected host venue.
Rankings
The rankings are based on the performances from the three most recent seasons.[1]
Associations 1–9 had their league champion qualify for the Group Stage and apply up to two wildcards.
The best-ranked association in the Women's EHF European League can have its league champion and runner-up qualified for the Group Stage and can apply for one wildcard.
Associations below the top 9 had their league champion apply for a wildcard.
19 teams applied for a place, with nine having a fixed place.[3] The final list was announced on 21 June 2024.[4]
The fixed place for Russia was vacant since the country and its clubs were not admitted to participate in the EHF competitions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5]
The 16 teams were drawn into 2 groups of eight. In regards to Denmark and Romania, who have three clubs in the Group Stage, a maximum of two clubs from those countries could be drawn into the same group.[3][7]
In the group stage, teams were ranked according to points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). After completion of the group stage, if two or more teams have scored the same number of points, the ranking was determined as follows:
Highest number of points in matches between the teams directly involved;
Superior goal difference in matches between the teams directly involved;
Highest number of goals scored in matches between the teams directly involved;
Superior goal difference in all matches of the group;
Highest number of plus goals in all matches of the group;
Drawing of Lots
This season, nine national associations were present. Poland and Sweden both miss out while Croatia return after a one season absence. CS Gloria Bistrița make their debut in the Champions League.
Updated to match(es) played on 19 January 2025. Source: EHF Rules for classification: Tiebreakers (T) Qualified, but not yet for the particular phase indicated
Updated to match(es) played on 19 January 2025. Source: EHF Rules for classification: Tiebreakers (T) Qualified, but not yet for the particular phase indicated Notes:
^Vipers Kristiansand declared bankruptcy on 13 January 2025 with the results that every game scheduled after that date was counted as a 10–0 win for the opponent.[8]
