Hungary is the third in the new EC ranking for men

Germany maintained its position on the throne of the European men's club handball as the European Handball Federation released the new ranking list for the 2016/17 season. Mainly thanks to the top two finish of SG Flensburg-Handewitt and THW Kiel in the 2014 VELUX EHF FINAL4 and the all-German final of the 2015 EHF Cup Finals Germany (154,83) was able to comfortably defend its leading position ahead of Spain (122,83) led by FC Barcelona's success in Cologne last week.

 

Both countries can automatically claim two places in the next season of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

 

 

The third country which surpassed 100 points plateau was Hungary which exchanged places with France mainly courtesy of MKB-MVM Veszprem's two trips to the FINAL4 and Pick Szeged's triumph in the EHF Cup Finals last year, but has only one place guaranteed by the ranking as all other countries down to rank 28, where the Czech Republic sits.

 

For the second consecutive season Finland recorded the highest move as they climbed up 15 places from 37 to 22, while Netherlands sank most - by six places from 26 to 32.

 

The distribution of places in the European Cups is a result of the EHF Ranking List which is a summary of the results in all three EHF men’s club competitions of the seasons 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15. The upcoming season is not considered for the EHF Ranking List, but it will be considered in June/July 2016 for the seeding of the new participants in the various competitions of 2016/17.

 

The procedure for the awarding of additional places is planned to remain unchanged, so each federation will have the right to ask for an additional place in the VELUX EHF Champions League.

 

The 2015/16 ranking list can be found here.

 

The awarding of additional places to those federations and clubs who requested a place is based on a number of criteria evaluating the clubs concerned (venue, TV, ranking in the domestic league, spectators, performance in past EHF club competitions, sponsoring potential, implementation of duties and regulations and new media).

 

Source: ehfcl.com

Photos: Zsolt Melczer